Why is AMASYA's drinking water security at risk?

Sixty per cent of Amasya's water is supplied from springs. Drought reduced spring yield. Groundwater was insufficient to meet the demand. Water cuts have started.

The statement of the Mayor of Amasya that we have 10 days of water left if we do not make cuts revealed the vulnerability of Amasya in terms of drinking and utility water security. The water supply problem in Amasya is mainly a result of the regional drought in our country. However, the fact that the central district of Amasya is largely dependent on resources for drinking water and the lack of a storage facility with a dam increases its vulnerability in terms of water security. Dams and ponds in the Amasya region were not sufficiently filled due to insufficient autumn and winter rainfall last year. This situation also negatively affected the water in Yedikır Dam, which is used for irrigation water. The amount of water in the dam, which was 30 per cent full at this time last year, has fallen below the dead volume level.

Amasya Municipality meets its drinking water needs from Akdağ water sources as well as wells within the city. Wells meet a part of the water requirement and the main water source is Akdağ springs. Sixty percent of the water supplied to the Central District of Amasya is supplied from Akdağ water sources and 40 percent from groundwater wells.

The average flow rate of 235.0 l/s coming from Akdağ spring to the central district of Amasya meets the water demand of the district to a great extent. However, Akdağ spring cannot supply water to the district with the same efficiency every month. In cases where the Akdağ spring is insufficient, water supply is supported by wells. This year, the water coming from these sources decreased and the water drawn from the wells was insufficient to meet the demand.

At the beginning of September last year, the water in the dams and ponds in Amasya had decreased. The average occupancy rate of dams and ponds in Amasya was 35 per cent, while the occupancy rate in Yedikır dam, which is used for irrigation, dropped to 27 per cent. The variability in the rainfall regime in Amasya had negatively affected the water resources in the past years. However, this year this effect was more pronounced, and since the restricted water use programme was not put into practice earlier, continuous water supply was at risk.

Experts indicate that this autumn may also be hot and dry. Autumn and winter precipitation, especially snowfall, is very important for storing water in our dams. Decrease in these precipitation and excessive evaporation due to heat waves reduce the stored water. Unplanned and inefficient water consumption can eventually lead to water cuts.

Mr President made a statement to overcome the current situation. It is important that water users fulfil the requirements of this statement and minimise water use until the rainy season.

Amasya's drinking water resources and water management

In the central district of Amasya, drinking and utility water is supplied from springs and groundwater, not from a storage facility with a dam. These water sources do not work with the same efficiency every month. When the water coming from the springs decreases, the wells are insufficient to meet the demand and water shortage is experienced in the city depending on the seasons. For this reason, water should be used more planned and efficiently in Amasya. In this period, an absolute saving programme should be implemented. Water management should check whether this saving is implemented or not. When necessary, water cut and limited water supply programme should be implemented. If these decisions are not taken in a timely manner and the implementation is not checked, the water supply will be jeopardised for a longer period of time. This brings many economic and hygienic problems for the subscriber households.

The existing water resources of the city of Amasya are Akdağ Springs (5.68 hm3/year), Karasu Springs (0.95 hm3/year) and Groundwater Wells (12.30 hm3/year), totalling 18.93 hm3/year .

Additional water supply projects for Amasya should be accelerated

With Samsun-Ladik Tersakan Dam Potable-Use and Irrigation Water Supply Project and Amasya Centre Potable Water Project, it is planned to supply a total of approximately 11 million^{m3 of} additional water to Amasya annually.

It is planned to supply 3 hm3/year of drinking water to Amasya Centre from Ladik Tersakan Dam, for which the preparation of Planning Report is in progress.

With the Amasya Central Drinking Water Supply Project, a total of 8.01 ^hm3/year raw water, 3.59 ^hm3/year from Kırkgöz springs and 4.42 ^hm3/year from Değirmendere Pond, will be treated in the treatment plants and the drinking-utility water needs of Amasya city centre, Fındıklı, Boğazköy towns and the surrounding settlements on the route will be met until 2055.

Acceleration and completion of these projects will increase the Water Security of Amasya. With the completion of these projects, the groundwater withdrawal of Amasya will also decrease. Thus, both our groundwater will be protected and the unit cost of water transmission will decrease.

Amasya Municipality should try to implement the measures in the Water Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan report published last year within the scope of Water Efficiency Mobilisation. In order to use water more efficiently, it should carry out studies to increase social awareness of water use. Prioritise efforts to prevent water loss and leakage.