Only half of the water that should reach our homes reaches our fountains. Where is the problem? What should be done?

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı, who made a statement within the scope of "Water Efficiency Mobilization", brought this issue to the agenda again by saying "We aim to reduce water losses to 25 percent by 2033 and 10 percent by 2050 at the latest". 

What is our loss and leakage rate in the networks?  

In the report "Comparative Performance Evaluation among Metropolitan Water and Sewerage Administrations" published by the Water Institute of Turkey (SUEN) in June 2022, the average water loss and leakage rate of 26 metropolitan cities is given as 40%. 

When other cities are taken into account, the average water loss and leakage rate in city networks in our country is between 40%-50%. This rate is the average value and reaches up to 60-70% in some provinces and districts. In addition to water losses due to old water networks in cities, there is also the use of illegal water that cannot be accrued. 

According to the data of the water administrations of 26 metropolitan cities included in the WATER EN Report, 56% of the water supplied to the network consists of billed authorized water consumption, 4% of unbilled authorized water consumption, 11% of administrative losses and 29% of physical losses. Accordingly, when the declared data are taken into account, the average revenue-generating and non-revenue-generating rates of the water entering the system are 56% and 44%, respectively, in other words, 44% of the water entering the system in many metropolitan cities does not generate revenue. 

Considering that the total number of subscribers served by the Water and Sewerage Administrations of 30 metropolitan cities in our country exceeds 27 million, it has been determined that the total annual economic loss due to water losses in our metropolitan cities exceeds 10.5 billion TL in 2020 prices. In addition to this economic loss, we can say that the problem is a problem of great magnitude as we lose a very important vital natural resource such as water before it reaches our taps. 

In general, an average of 7 billion cubic meters of treated, clean drinking and utility water is supplied to the network in our cities annually. On average, 3 billion cubic meters of this water is lost before reaching the fountains. 

Why is our loss and leakage rate high?

We can accept the average rate of loss and leakage in the water networks of all our cities as 50%. As stated in the WATER EN Report, one third of the average losses and leakages consist of physical losses. The main reason for these losses is the leakage of water from old water networks due to increasing water demand and high pressure in the system. In addition, problems such as the lack of GIS and SCADA systems, insufficient technical personnel and lack of maintenance and repair are also the reasons that increase the loss and leakage rate. 

In most of our metropolitan cities, very important studies have been carried out for the last 10 years to identify and eliminate losses and leakages in water networks. However, in cities with very old water networks, the pipes in the network must be renewed in order to eliminate this problem. This involves both the replacement of thousands of kilometers of pipes and the difficulties of finding the necessary financing. Progress is also slowed by the fact that local governments prioritize visible investments in above-ground infrastructure over above-ground infrastructure that will bring prestige. 

Are the new targets realistic and what should be done? 

The first regulation for local governments to reduce water losses and leakages was published in 2014. The loss and leakage reduction targets set out in this regulation have not been achieved. Therefore, in 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry published the Regulation Amending the Regulation on the Control of Water Losses in Drinking Water Supply and Distribution Systems. In this regulation;

"Metropolitan and provincial municipalities are obliged to reduce water losses to a maximum of 30% by 2023 and 25% by 2028; other municipalities are obliged to reduce water losses to a maximum of 35% by 2023, 30% by 2028 and 25% by 2033." 

However, since the number of metropolitan municipalities reaching the target of maximum 30% loss by 2023 is not deemed sufficient, this period and rate is reminded again from the mouth of the minister as 25% by 2033 for all our municipalities. 

Pressures on our water resources such as climate change, pollution and population growth are increasing. For this reason, municipal water administrations should take the issue of reducing losses and leakages more seriously.

The construction of projects that will meet the additional water demands of cities that fall far behind these targets due to increasing needs should not be approved. The implementation of this demand should be made conditional on meeting the loss and leakage requirement. 

In addition, more support should be provided by the central government and the Bank of Provinces to municipalities that have difficulties in obtaining investment loans to meet these targets. 

In addition, periodic realizations of water losses and action plans for reducing water losses should be made public. Provision of performance-based incentives, rewards or concessions by the central government to administrations that achieve the water loss targets stipulated in the Regulation will also increase the motivation of water administrations. 

The institutional capacity of Water and Sewerage Administrations should be strengthened and their technological infrastructure should be improved. In this context, with the Smart Water Cycle System, even the slightest changes in water quality in the drinking water network system can be detected in real time.  Thus, it is possible to provide high quality drinking water, to put an end to water wastage, to prevent wasted water and to reduce the rate of loss and leakage below 15 percent.

Local governments ;

- To provide citizens with cleaner, safer and higher quality drinking water,

- Prevent water from being wasted, 

- Protect and efficiently manage water resources,

- To reduce excessive energy consumption, leakage/loss rates in the drinking water network system should be reduced below 15 percent.

If water losses are prevented;

- Reducing the cost of water supply and transmission,

- Increasing revenues for new investment projects 

- It will be possible for investments to pay for themselves in a short period of time. 

Municipalities can also increase water supply efficiency and water revenues by reducing losses in the drinking water network system. If we can hear realistic projects and financing models from candidates before the upcoming local government elections, our hopes will increase.