TURKEY: Excessive hot weather and lack of rain is affecting water resources in main cities

Excessive hot weather and lack of rain in Turkey is affecting water resources in main cities. Water levels in dams are approaching critically low levels, forcing the water to be cut off every two days in the capital of Ankara up until December. Water levels in Turkish dams are falling to dangerously low levels, prompting authorities in the capital Ankara to cut domestic supplies every two days. Residents will only be allowed to use water for 48 hours, then it will be cut off for 48 hours. That's going to happen from now until December. Ankara dams are at just five per cent of capacity. Soaring summer temperatures and lack of rain have also affected dams in Istanbul, but that city is not under critical alert, with the dams 27 per cent full. Residents there are being urged to use water sparingly. Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said: "In comparison to last year there is a significant drop in the water levels of the dams, especially in the dams in the western regions of Turkey. In eastern regions the fall is around 20 percent". In homes the water ban is already affecting daily life, with people forced to wash and cook with stock water in bottles. Gulumen Karakocak, a housewife says she is planning to cook less so she doesn't have so much washing up. "It won't be the same but we will try to keep on going," she said. Residents are flocking to water tank vendors, desperate to get hold of plastic containers to stockpile water for the coming months.

ITN Source | August 2, 2007

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