Per-person water availability is declining in Turkey Farming eats up nearly 75% of annual consumption Opposition mayors have pledged new water-management policies
By Jennifer Hattam
ISTANBUL, May 10 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Last winter, the massive dams and reservoirs that supply water to Istanbul s 15 million residents fell to critically low levels, sparking fears of shortages.
Late-arriving snow and rain ultimately gave Turkey s largest city a reprieve.
But water and climate experts say the country s water worries are far from over – and more dams are part of the problem. Instead of trying to reduce our water demand, or decrease the amount lost through broken pipes and leaks, we are just focused on creating more supply by building new dams, said Akgun Ilhan, a water management expert at the Istanbul Policy Center.