Environmental Health Specialist and Dr. Lecturer Ahmet Adiller from Üsküdar University Vocational School of Health Services stated that Turkey is experiencing a serious drought, and significant water savings can be achieved with individual measures.
In the sixth part of Anadolu Agency's (AA) file report on 'water,' conservation methods that can be applied for more efficient use of water resources were discussed.
• Climate change is driving countries into water stress
• Water will be used more efficiently with production planning and drought-resistant seeds
• Drought and groundwater use increase sinkhole formation
• Water consumption in textiles is increasing with the fast fashion trend
• Drying wetlands threaten Turkey's water assets and biodiversity
In recent years, significant losses in water resources have been experienced due to factors such as global warming, climate change, rapid population growth, and urbanization. Water-rich countries are increasingly turning into water-stressed countries, while water-stressed countries are transforming into water-poor countries.
According to the 2022 Activity Report of the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI), Turkey, which has a total water potential of 112 billion cubic meters, uses 57 billion cubic meters of this water resource, with 77% for agricultural irrigation, 12% for individual consumption, and 11% for industrial activities.
According to data from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, while per capita water use in Turkey in 2021 was measured at 146 liters per day, 93 liters of water per person, equivalent to approximately 5 water bottles, were wasted in household uses.
While proper water management policies are of great importance, especially in the agriculture sector where water is most used in Turkey, as well as in industry, textile, and food industries, it is possible to save water by taking simple measures in individual uses.
Environmental Health Specialist Dr. Lecturer Ahmet Adiller, answering questions from an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter, explained water conservation measures that can be taken both in different sectors and in daily life.
"We are a water-stressed country"
Adiller stated that disruptions in precipitation patterns due to climate change and global warming cause reductions in water quantity and potential, and that from a hydrological perspective, basin management should be considered as a whole. He added that in this context, it is possible to use water more efficiently with correct policies applied in different areas such as soil, living beings, vegetation, industry, agriculture, animal husbandry, and human needs.
Adiller continued:
"Not only water, but everything dependent on water in the region where water is formed and used, needs to be managed correctly. Both the quantity and quality of water must be preserved. This is one of the fundamental problems we face in many regions. Looking at our country, there is no very high water potential, and we are a water-stressed country. At the same time, some of our water resources face heavy pollution loads. For the correct management of water, all agricultural, industrial, animal husbandry, and human activities need to be properly planned from a single source."
Adiller pointed out that wastewater from industrial activities can be treated and reused, and that in agriculture, water can be saved by switching to modern irrigation methods instead of traditional practices. He emphasized that these processes should be dictated to consumers through laws and regulations.
Adiller warned that countries are divided into 3 categories in terms of water resources: "water-rich," "water-stressed," and "water-poor," and that Turkey has been included in the class of water-stressed countries since the 2000s and is progressing towards becoming a water-poor country. He said, "When we look at the Middle East and Mediterranean basin where we are located, we are in a region very seriously affected by climate change. We are experiencing a serious drought, and what we have experienced this year is an indicator of what we will experience in the coming years."
Adiller stated that measures to reduce carbon emissions are not sufficient and that both drought and floods are experienced simultaneously due to global warming and climate change. He predicted that if the protection of both the quantity and quality of water does not start today with proper planning, water wars could break out in the future.
Measures that can be taken in daily life
Adiller commented that individual savings can create significant impacts and listed water conservation measures that can be applied in daily life as follows:
"A tap consumes approximately 10-15 liters of water per minute. If you wet your brush and leave the tap running for 2 minutes while brushing your teeth, you lose 20-30 liters of water, and a family doing this morning and evening will have used 50 to 100 liters of water. Water consumption in dishwashers varies between approximately 7 and 14 liters. Choosing models that consume less water can save thousands of liters of water annually. A similar situation applies to washing machines. Furthermore, operating washing machines and dishwashers fully loaded will reduce the number of uses. If a standard washing machine is assumed to consume between 40-80 liters of water, washing clothes 1 less time per week will save a minimum of 2 thousand liters of water annually. It is also known that water-saving faucets consume approximately 40-50 percent less water. Considering these rates, thousands of liters of water can again be saved annually by using water-saving faucets. What one person does may seem insignificant, but we have a population exceeding 80 million. If you save one liter, with mass participation, 80 million liters of water will have been saved."