Back
 JWARP  Vol.5 No.4 A , April 2013
Solving Water Problems of a Metropolis
Ahmet Mete Saatci*
Show more
Abstract: The metropolis of Istanbul has faced water supply challenges throughout history; however the situation escalated in the past decade with rapid population growth. Water demand of an ever-growing city could only be solved by transporting water from surrounding water basins as far as 190 km away from the city border. Moreover, imbalanced distribution of water resources and imbalanced water demand on the European and Asian side of the city was resolved by transporting water from Asian side to the European side, by laying water transmission pipes under the Bosphorus Strait and by constructing a tunnel passing 130 m under the Strait. Another difficulty that required challenging solutions was the protection of water reservoirs of the city, hence illegal settlements arose in the reservoir watershed zones due to fast urban growth and migration from rural areas. Discharge of wastewater from illegal settlements caused not only algae growth in water treatment plant (WTP) of one of the largest reservoirs of Istanbul, but also eventual death of algae was a major setback due to anaerobic conditions created in the reservoir. The problem was solved by tertiary treatment of the wastewater and by diverting the effluent through a tunnel away from the reservoir. The aim of this paper is to provide an insight into setbacks faced in a metropolis of 14 million and technical solutions provided against the pollution of reservoirs.
Keywords: Eutrophication; Urban Growth; Water Resources; Water Shortage; Wastewater Treatment
Cite this paper: A. Saatci, "Solving Water Problems of a Metropolis," Journal of Water Resource and Protection, Vol. 5 No. 4, 2013, pp. 7-10. doi: 10.4236/jwarp.2013.54A002.
References

[1]   TUIK—TurkIsh StatIstIcal InstItutIon, “PopulatIon ProjectIons,” 2013. http://www.tuIk.gov.tr/PreHaberBultenlerI.do?Id=15844

[2]   ISKI—Iastanbul Water and Sewarage AdmInIstratIon, “Water Management In Istanbul throughout HIstory,” 2013. http://www.IskI.gov.tr/Web/statIk.aspx?KID=1001112

[3]   V. Eroglu, “Istanbul—Water CIvIlIzatIon,” 2013. http://www.veyseleroglu.com.tr/belge/su_meselesI.pdf

[4]   ISKI, “TarIh Boyunca Istanbul SularI ve Istanbul Su ve KanalIzasyon SorunlarI,” 1983.

[5]   DSI—State HaydraulIc Works, “Press Release,” 2008. http://www2.dsI.gov.tr/basInbul/
detay.cfm?BultenID=144

[6]   ISKI, “ISKI Annual Report 2011,” 2012. http://www.IskI.gov.tr/Web/UserFIles/FIle/faalIyetraporu2008/faalIyetraporu2011.pdf

[7]   DIE—State StatIstIcal InstItutIon, “TurkIsh PopulatIon, 1923-1994) DemographIcs and Development,” 1995. http://kutuphane.tuIk.gov.tr/pdf/0013683.pdf

[8]   DIE, “Nüfus Sayimi,” 2000. http://bIanet.org/bIanet/bIanet/96034-Istanbul-2023te-21-
mIlyon-2050de-50-mIlyon

[9]   DSI, “XIVst RegIonal DIrectorate of State HydraulIc Works—Istanbul,” 2013. http://www2.dsI.gov.tr/englIsh/regIon/14st.htm

[10]   M. Aygun, “ProtectIon of Melen Water and BasIn,” 2012. http://www.Inbo-news.org/IMG/pdf/4_MEHMET_AYGUN_EUROPEINBO2012_MELEN_SUYU_VE_
HAVZASININ_KORUNMASI.pdf

[11]   WaterWIkI, “FacIng Water Challenges In Istanbul,” 2013. http://waterwIkI.net/Index.php/FacIng_Water_Challenges_In_Istanbul

[12]   STFA, “Melen Project,” 2012. http://www.facebook.com/medIa/set/
?set=a.457079534303306.110027.139193936091869&type=3

[13]   Beykoz MunIcIpalIty, “FIrst Phase Is open at Melen,” 2013. http://www.beykoz.bel.tr/IcerIk/29/1277/Istanbulun-sIgortasI-melende-1-kIsIm-acIldI--.aspx

[14]   LImak, “Istanbul CumhurIyet DrInkIng Water Treatment Plant,” 2013. http://www.lImak.com.tr/sectors/constructIon/projects/drInkIng-waters-and-treatment-facIlItIes/
Istanbul-cumhurIyet-drInkIng-water-treatment-plant

[15]   A. Akkoyunlu, E. Yuksel, F. Erturk and H. Bayhan, “ManagIng of Watersheds of Istanbul (Turkey),” FIfth Water InformatIon SummIt: RegIonal PerspectIves on Water InformatIon Management Systems, FlorIda, 23-25 October 2002.

[16]   G. Erul, “Su KIrlIlIgI Kontrolü YOnetmelIgI,” T.C. Cevre ve SehIrcIlIk Bakanligi (MInIstry of EnvIronment and UrbanIzatIon), 2013.

[17]   ISKI, “OmerlI Icmesuyu HavzasI Koruma SIstemI,” 2013. http://www.IskI.gov.tr/web/haberDetay.aspx?HID=1004074

 
 
Top