Water supply and sanitation in Turkey
Water supply and sanitation in Turkey is characterized by achievements and challenges. Over the past decades access to drinking water has become almost universal and access to adequate sanitation has also increased substantially. Autonomous utilities have been created in the 16 metropolitan cities of Turkey and cost recovery has been increased, thus providing the basis for the sustainability of service provision. Intermittent supply, which was common in many cities, has become less frequent. In 2004, 61% of the wastewater collected through sewers was being treated. In 2020 77% of water was used by agriculture, 10% by households and the rest by industry.
| Turkey: Water and sanitation | ||
|---|---|---|
| Data | ||
| Access to an improved water source | 99% | |
| Access to improved sanitation | 90% | |
| Continuity of supply (%) | Not available | |
| Average urban water use (liter/capita/day) | 112 | |
| Average water and sanitation tariff (US$/m3) | 0.9 - 2.05 (2009) or 1.32 - 3.04 Turkish Lira in the 16 largest cities | |
| Share of household metering | High | |
| Annual investment in water supply and sanitation | US$1 billion per year (US$13 per capita and year) | |
| Sources of investment financing | Not available | |
| Institutions | ||
| Decentralization | Yes | |
| National water and sanitation company | No | |
| Water and sanitation regulator | No | |
| Responsibility for policy setting | Shared between different Ministries | |
| Sector law | No | |
| Number of urban service providers | 2379 | |
| Number of rural service providers | Not available | |
Remaining challenges include the need to further increase wastewater treatment, to reduce the high level of non-revenue water hovering around 50% and to expand access to adequate sanitation in rural areas. The investment required to comply with EU standards in the sector, especially in wastewater treatment, is estimated to be in the order of Euro 2 billion per year, more than double the current level of investment.
Institutionally the sector is fragmented. Policy, regulatory and planning functions are dispersed between five Ministries, the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) and the State Planning Organization under the Prime Minister's Office. Service provision is the responsibility of about 2,400 municipalities and 16 utilities in the largest cities. External cooperation has played and continues to play a major role for water and sanitation in Turkey. Germany, France, the European Union and the World Bank are the major external partners.