Türkiye is located in the Mediterranean region where the impacts of global climate change are experienced significantly, and is considered among the countries at high-risk. Water resources in Türkiye are expected to decrease by approximately 25% according to climate change predictions for the next 100 years.
Climate change, rapid population growth, increasing industrialization, and other environmental issues are threatening the future of humankind and water, which is the source of life. Türkiye is not a water-rich country; in fact, it is one of the regions with the least amount of available water per capita (1,313 m3 per year). If necessary measures are not taken to protect and use water resources efficiently, Türkiye is expected to be among the countries experiencing water stress by 2030.
Currently, 77% of the country’s annual available fresh-water consumption is used in agriculture, and 23% is used in drinking and utility water and industrial production. In the current state of the country, it is anticipated that reducing water losses in drinking water systems from 32% to 10%, increasing irrigation efficiency in agriculture from 50% to 75%, and implementing clean production technologies and efficiency techniques in industry can lead to a significant reduction of up to 25% in total water consumption from clean freshwater resources. Therefore, Türkiye’s “road map” for adaptation to the changing climate is ready.
The results of the 1st Water Council suggest that taking action on a national scale and taking urgent measures regarding Water Efficiency is the priority. In relation to this, related institutions prepared the Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan with in the Framework of Adaptation to the Changing Climate.
Actions have been determined within the framework of main efficiency practices such as reducing water losses, rainwater harvesting, use of greywater, use of alternative water resources through methods such as reuse of treated wastewater, use of efficient technologies in agriculture, industry, individual water use and dissemination of conscious production practices, improvement of individual water use habits and similar main efficiency practices.
In the context of the National Water Efficiency Campaign, it is aimed to disseminate the water efficiency culture and implement water efficiency practices through workshops, training activities, seminars, awareness-raising publications, and similar activities that will cover every stakeholder and all water users with we must preserve our water. In addition to meetings, workshops and similar events to be held on a sectoral basis, visual and written materials and educational and informative studies are being prepared. Raising the awareness of women who have an important role in society through “water and women” meetings is seen as a significant component of the campaign. The agenda of the campaign also includes the activities to be carried out with the teachers and students in different schools to raise water efficiency awareness and understand the importance of water.
We invite all institutions/organizations, farmers, industrialists, children, briefly, every citizen, to use the water efficiently, with the awareness of “zero loss in water“, in order to continue our lives in a prosperous way without water stress pressure, without sacrificing our needs, without lowering our living standards in Türkiye. Because “water is the homeland”, “water is civilization”, “water is the future”.