Treated Wastewater Is Being Reused

Treated Wastewater Being Reused Following work carried out by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the target reuse rate for treated wastewater, which stood at 4 percent at the end of 2022, reached 4.2 percent in the first half of the year. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change continues its work within the framework of targets for treated wastewater reuse rates. As a result of strategic planning efforts by the Ministry, the reuse rate for treated wastewater reached 4.2 percent in the first half of 2022, exceeding the year-end target. In the Ministry's statement, it was noted that the aim is to increase the treated wastewater reuse rate to 5 percent in 2023 and to 15 percent in 2030. The statement cited projections that Turkey will face water scarcity in the near future due to drought caused by global climate change, declining surface water resources and decreases in groundwater reserves resulting from excessive water consumption driven by industrial and agricultural activities, and pollution. The Ministry emphasized that the importance of wastewater recovery and reuse has become even more critical. The statement noted that treated wastewater can be reused in many areas including landscape and agricultural irrigation, industrial use, groundwater recharge, and domestic and industrial applications. In this context, it was recalled that approximately 283 million cubic meters of treated wastewater is reused annually. It was also noted that an amount of water equivalent to the volume of Oymapınar or Kapulukaya Dam is being reused.

Priority target: Protecting water resources

In a further statement from the Ministry, wastewater was described as being treated as an alternative water source, and it was announced that reducing water consumption in line with Circular Economy principles, treating generated wastewater for reuse, and thereby protecting water resources are among priority objectives. Meanwhile, the Ministry reported that in accordance with the European Green Deal, activities continue regarding the reduction of water consumed in industrial facilities in Turkey for clean production work and the promotion of treated wastewater use. In this framework, to align with international policies and prevent potential water scarcity in the medium and long term, the Ministry stated that it has ensured that the energy consumed in wastewater treatment processes for wastewater reuse falls within the incentives framework. In continuation of the statement, it was reported that by amending Article 29 of the Environmental Law, the 50 percent energy incentive applied at wastewater treatment facilities can be provided at up to 100 percent to organizations reusing wastewater treated with advanced treatment techniques, depending on the reuse rate. The regulation aims to ensure that wastewater treatment facilities operate in compliance with the Environmental Law and related legislation, and to increase the reuse of treated wastewater, thereby reducing wastewater discharge and preventing water pollution, while also protecting water resources in terms of quantity by reducing water consumption.