Is Istanbul’s water safe? Melen Project faces critical challenges
Melen Dam is part of the Büyük Melen System project. Once completed, the dam will be able to supply 1.077 billion cubic meters of water annually. (Photo via eceturinsaat.com.tr)
Istanbul, a city grappling with periodic droughts, faces a stark warning regarding the vital Buyuk Melen Project. Originally designed to secure Istanbul’s water needs until 2071, concerns over its current state are mounting.
Duzce Mayor Faruk Ozlu has raised alarms, stating that sewage is mixing with the water consumed by Istanbul residents. He called on the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) to fulfill its responsibilities immediately.
Duzce Mayor Ozlu’s call to action
In a social media post, Ozlu criticized ISKI, a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), for neglecting necessary investments in the Duzce’s Melen basin. He pointed out that ISKI has not undertaken the mandated maintenance and cleaning of water sources for five years.
“ISKI must complete these investments urgently. Sewage is contaminating the water Istanbulites drink,” Ozlu emphasized. He also revealed that a 2022 initiative by the General Directorate of Water Management to declare Istanbul and Duzce as “water siblings” was rejected by the IMM, leading to Duzce being paired with Kocaeli instead.
Strategic importance of Buyuk Melen Project
Launched in 1990, when Istanbul’s population stood at 7.3 million, the Buyuk Melen Project was conceived to meet the city’s growing water demands. Today, with a population exceeding 16.7 million, the project remains a cornerstone of Istanbul’s water strategy.
Situated 170 kilometers east of the Bosphorus, the Melen Dam is strategically located at the point where the Melen River meets the Black Sea. The dam has a storage capacity of 694 million cubic meters, with an annual water supply potential of 1.08 billion cubic meters. Once operational, it was expected to secure Istanbul’s water needs until 2071.
Infrastructure challenges and political decisions
A key feature of the project is the 5,551-meter pipeline running 135 meters beneath the Bosphorus, designed to transport water to the European side of Istanbul. However, in 2023, IMM President Ekrem Imamoglu suspended the pipeline, citing electricity savings as the rationale.
As Istanbul’s water crisis deepens, the neglect of the Buyuk Melen Project poses severe risks to the city’s sustainability.
