The General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry aims to reduce the negative effects of drought through efforts to reuse wastewater while implementing various projects to expand automation practices in irrigation.

According to the information obtained by AA correspondent from the Ministry, the limited water resources in Türkiye and the increasing demand in all sectors make it mandatory to use the available water resources in the most cost-effective way.

Therefore, in water management, it is important to establish a fair sharing between sectors in harmony with the environment and to ensure the effective use of available water. Approximately 77 percent of the country's total annual average available water potential of 112 billion cubic meters is used for agricultural irrigation. When all projects are completed, the target is to reduce this ratio to 64 percent.

DSİ is taking structural and non-structural measures to mitigate the negative effects of drought, which is increasing in frequency, severity and effectiveness due to global climate change.

In this context, in order to improve the structurally economically usable water potential, it is planned to complete storage facilities, to complete inter-basin water transfer projects, to construct new irrigation systems as pressurized-pipe systems, to convert the irrigation facilities in operation into pressurized-pipe systems within the scope of the renovation project and to modernize them rapidly by finding alternative financing methods. In addition, it is aimed to meet the maintenance and repair needs of the irrigation facilities in operation within the scope of "Maintenance and Repair Projects" together with water-consuming organizations without delay and to increase transmission efficiency.

 

Future systems on the way to combat loss and leakage

On the other hand, efforts are being made to install measurement systems in the irrigation facilities in operation in order to detect losses and leakages, to expand automation applications in irrigation management and to construct the necessary facilities for the reuse of used water in irrigation.

Within the scope of non-structural works, it is aimed to prepare management programs for all dams in operation (energy, drinking water, irrigation). Within the scope of irrigation management activities, it is envisaged to carry out "general planning" in irrigation facilities according to the needs of plants. In order to prevent the use of water more than the required amount, it is planned to apply a gradual water usage service fee in piped irrigation facilities with appropriate infrastructure, and to carry out informative studies on drought and measures to be taken.

 

Ergene Basin will be an inspiration

In the basins where drinking water is supplied or planned to be supplied, DSİ carries out studies on the collection, treatment, reuse and controlled discharge of wastewater that poses a pollution threat at the upstream of storage facilities such as dams and ponds.

Efforts for wastewater treatment initiated in the Ergene Basin, where the pollution load increased significantly due to industrial, domestic and agricultural wastewater. In this context, 15 wastewater treatment plants were constructed within 6 years and transferred to the relevant municipalities for operation. With these facilities, 60 percent of the urban wastewater discharged into the Ergene River has been treated. The plants were designed with the capacity to treat the wastewater of a total population of 1 million 130 thousand people projected for the year 2045.

DSİ is treating 322 thousand cubic meters of water per day with the 24 facilities completed up until now.

 

Groundwater

In the world and in Türkiye, groundwater has been utilized for drinking, industrial and irrigation purposes from past to present. In order to protect groundwater in terms of quality and quantity, DSİ operates "groundwater artificial feeding facilities". In this context, more than 120 projects were completed and commissioned within the framework of the "Groundwater Supply Facilities Action Plan" put into effect in 2019.