The drinking water shortages Ankara has experienced in recent days due to falling water levels in reservoirs caused by the drought have become a target of criticism from government supporters. Among those voicing criticism are Melih Gökçek, the mayor of Ankara during the AKP era, and his son Osman Gökçek.
The person targeted by criticism from government supporters is Mansur Yavaş, the CHP mayor of Ankara.
However, there is another important news item in the archives concerning Ankara’s water problem.
The construction of dams in Turkey and the responsibility for them fall under the supervision of the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ), a government agency.
A news article dated July 5, 2021, which is still available on the DSİ website, states exactly as follows: Ankara will not face a drinking water shortage until the year 20250.
These remarks were made by President Erdoğan himself at the “The Power of Water Meets the People” Mass Opening Ceremony held at the Presidential Complex by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. He said:
“In addition to supplying Ankara with spring-quality drinking water through the Gerede System, we are also meeting the city’s drinking water needs through 2050. To date, the total volume of water supplied to Ankara through the project amounts to 312 million cubic meters, with an economic value of 1 billion lira. In Ankara, which has a population of 5,663,000, 2,550,000 people are currently using water supplied by the Gerede System. ”Despite the pandemic and the drought, the reason Ankara has not faced a drinking water shortage so far is precisely this project.”
However, it appears that, over time, supporters of the ruling party have forgotten this statement.
Ankara Dam Water Levels
According to the latest data from ASKİ, the total reservoir capacity in Ankara was measured at 12.31 percent. It was also announced that the amount of usable water in the capital stands at 1.10 percent.
When compared to data from the same period last year, there has been a significant drop in reservoir water levels. The fact that the reservoir capacity was recorded at 29.81% during the same period in 2024 indicates a decline of more than 17% in Ankara’s water reserves over the past year.
Mansur Yavaş: We anticipate that we won’t face water shortages for 200 days, even if there is no rain or snow.
Ankara Metropolitan Mayor Mansur Yavaş, in a statement made after inspecting the ongoing work at the Çamlıdere and Eğrekkaya dams in recent days, said, “With the completion of the final phase of the long-standing efforts to divert surface water to Ankara, the pressure and water supply issues will be resolved. ”We anticipate that we will not face water shortages for at least 200 days, even if there is no rain or snow,” he said.