25 percent of İstanbul water wasted or stolen


As of May 2008 there were 361 million cubic meters of water in 10 reservoirs serving İstanbul's water needs.

A recent drought in İstanbul has left reservoirs with the lowest levels of water in the last decade prompting the İstanbul Waterworks Authority (İSKİ) to exert efforts to minimize wasted and stolen water.



İSKİ's efforts have paid off as the amount of lost and stolen water has been reduced from 60 percent of available water in the 1990s to 25 percent today. This drop is a result of replaced water pipes leading to less leakage and quick discovery of illegal usage.
Worldwide lost and stolen water amounts to 25 percent of total available water. The United States sees 15 percent of water lost or stolen while Europe around 13 percent. İstanbul's water loss through leakage and illegal usage equals 25 percent an amount equivalent to the city's Alibeyköy dam which can store an amount equal to 36 million cubic meters of water.
According to data provided by İSKİ İstanbul had 714 million cubic meters of water in 2007. Of this amount 25 percent -- 180 million cubic meters -- were lost or stolen. With İstanbul using 2 million cubic meters of water each day the amount of lost and stolen water in one year equals approximately three months of the city's water needs. İSKİ General Manager Mevlüt Vural said water theft occurs at workplaces and at sports and tourism facilities adding that İSKİ is continuing to seek these places out and rectify the situation. He added that lost and stolen water now amount to 25 percent and that efforts are under way to reduce this to 10 percent. The general manager noted that each unpaid bill means the rights of İstanbul residents are being usurped. 2006: 268000 cubic meters of water were lost or stolen in İstanbul

Last year İSKİ delivered 732 million cubic meters to the city of which 516 million were accounted for through water bills. Two years ago İSKİ billed residents for 493 million cubic meters of water and distributed 6 million free of charge leaving 268000 cubic meters unaccounted for.
Additionally water levels in reservoirs decreased to their lowest levels in the last decade. According to data from İSKİ reservoirs were 98 percent aaaa in 1998. As of May 2008 there were 361 million cubic meters of water in 10 reservoirs meeting İstanbul's water needs.
New water sources for İstanbul
Noting that various projects are being devised to alleviate water shortages during the summer the İSKİ general manager said: "We expect to finish the construction of a channel between Melen and Darlık by 2009. A total of 188 million cubic meters of water will be obtained annually once a waterway is built from the Rezve brook to the Pabuçdere dam." He also added that the construction of the İsaköy Sungurlu and Kabakoz dams was continuing and that these three dams will provide 306 million cubic meters of water to İstanbul.

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