Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality’s Water and Sewerage Administration (DİSKİ) has held the foundation-laying ceremony for Phase 2 of the Talaytepe Central Drinking Water Treatment Plant, a project that will double the city’s water production and aims to prevent shortages until 2050. Speaking at the ceremony, Co-Mayor Serra Bucak said they were “not merely laying the foundations of a building, but building the justice of water, the source of life.”

With the support of İlbank and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), DİSKİ has launched construction of the Phase 2 project in Kayapınar’s Talaytepe, marking the start of a new era in the city’s drinking-water services. The ceremony was attended by Co-Mayor Serra Bucak; DİSKİ Director General Mehmet Şerifoğlu; Metropolitan Council members Emra Doğan, Mahmut Yokuş, Hacer Kurt and Merve Utlu; DEM Party Diyarbakır Provincial Co-Chairs Gülşen Özer and Abbas Şahin; district co-mayors; departmental heads; İlbank Diyarbakır Regional Director Selami Öcal; and many others.

‘We are opening a new chapter in water management’

Speaking at the groundbreaking, DİSKİ Director General Mehmet Şerifoğlu said they were opening a new chapter in Diyarbakır’s water management: “We have always aimed at the whole. This is one of its most important components. As a continuation of this, we are pleased to announce the trunk main you can see along the route. For two years there has been intensive work, and we are completing each piece in turn.”

‘We will do everything we can to avoid water shortages for the next fifty years’

Şerifoğlu noted that drinking water would be brought up to World Health Organization (WHO) standards: “We would like to thank İlbank and all our supporters. We will not pay an additional cost for this investment; it is arriving as a grant, and we are delighted. At the same time, we are installing a component of smart water management on this site; we will make clear where and how we are conveying the water. We are doing everything we can to ensure Diyarbakır does not face water scarcity for many years. Next year, we will direct all our investments to rural areas and the districts.”

Co-Mayor Bucak: We are building the justice of water

Co-Mayor Serra Bucak underlined the value of the project being supported as a JICA grant, with no call on the municipality’s own resources. Noting there are grant projects for Ergani and Silvan as well—and expressing hope they will be implemented soon—Bucak said they were not merely laying the foundations of a building today, but “building the justice of water, the source of life.”

‘The foundations of international solidarity are also being laid’

“In our approach to municipal services, ensuring that no resident or living being is left without water is a first condition of social justice and an equal life,” Bucak said. She added that the Phase 2 Central Drinking Water Treatment Plant being delivered by DİSKİ is among the strongest examples of this approach. With an investment of ₺919,421,000, the project will secure the city’s long-term water supply with a drinking-water treatment capacity of 3.2 m³/s. “Once completed after a 450-day work period, Diyarbakır’s drinking-water infrastructure will be strengthened and water quality will reach international standards. The project is financed through İlbank with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In other words, today we are laying the foundations not only of an investment, but also of international solidarity,” Bucak said.

‘Water is also a right to life’

Emphasising that water is not merely a resource but a right to life, Co-Mayor Serra Bucak continued: “We are working to protect this right and to ensure equal access to water for everyone. In every service delivered by DİSKİ, our aim is to manage water fairly, efficiently and safely. When this project is completed, Diyarbakır will have a stronger, cleaner and more sustainable water infrastructure. This is a step that safeguards not only today but the right to life of future generations. Development is not achieved by concrete alone; it depends on respect for nature, people and the future. For us, municipal service is not only about infrastructure; it is a civic practice that makes people’s lives easier. In these lands, the sound of water has never fallen silent. The Tigris has never fallen silent; it has continued to be both the city’s memory and its breath. We will carry this memory forward with an understanding that protects the environment. We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to this project. Together, we will continue to grow Diyarbakır and to produce for Diyarbakır.”

Following the speeches, the Co-Mayors and accompanying guests pressed the button to lay the foundation.

What will Phase 2 of the Central Drinking Water Treatment Plant deliver?

Construction has begun in Talaytepe on a facility with a daily production capacity of 260,000 cubic metres, significantly meeting the city’s drinking-water demand. Implemented in cooperation with İlbank and JICA, the project represents an investment of approximately ₺1 billion.

With this investment, Diyarbakır’s drinking-water capacity will be doubled; thanks to on-site reservoirs and advanced treatment systems, water quality will be brought to international potable standards.

Completion in 450 days

Planned for completion in 450 days, Phase 2 of the Central Drinking Water Treatment Plant will rank among Türkiye’s ten largest drinking-water treatment facilities once finished. The aim is to ensure the city faces no water shortages through to 2050.