Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality has launched a new initiative to strengthen water efficiency in response to the risk of drought. As part of the programme, which began with training sessions for municipal staff, water-saving aerators will be distributed to households and schools, water efficiency training will be provided, and fieldwork will be carried out.

At a meeting held in the Metropolitan Municipality Council Chamber by the Department of Climate Change and Zero Waste and the Department of Human Resources and Training, department heads, unit managers and staff responsible for water efficiency discussed the responsibilities of local authorities in water management, the impact of the growing drought risk on society, and the importance of water efficiency in daily life.

Within the framework of the Water Efficiency Strategy Document and Action Plan, which entered into force on 4 May 2023, the role and responsibilities assumed by local authorities were reassessed from a people-centred perspective.

Action plan for people and nature

The meeting placed particular emphasis on reducing water loss and leakage in drinking water systems, promoting water-saving habits, strengthening climate adaptation policies, and improving institutional coordination. It was underlined that these efforts directly enhance quality of life for the wider community.

Concrete measures to be introduced

It was stressed that water efficiency is not only a technical issue, but also an administrative and social responsibility. In this context, a range of practical measures aimed at residents will be introduced, including the distribution of water-saving aerators to selected households and schools, the delivery of training sessions, water efficiency training for farmers, and field studies on water management in vulnerable areas.

It was noted that water efficiency practices both improve urban quality of life and provide residents with direct economic and environmental benefits. The measures were also said to help safeguard water resources, ensure the continuity of drinking water supply, prevent service interruptions, and reduce pressure on infrastructure.

The meeting also reaffirmed the municipality’s commitment to continuing its efforts to protect Diyarbakır’s water resources and pass them on to future generations in a healthy and sustainable way.

“The aim is to protect water resources through joint coordination”

Providing information about the meeting, Environmental Engineer Züleyha Aydın Balık said the gathering had been organised to contribute to a collective water mobilisation effort. Balık stated that the purpose of the meeting was to ensure coordination among all municipal departments in order to protect water resources and promote their proper use, adding that the work would continue in different areas beyond the municipality in the next phase.

“We will take important steps”

Balık said they would expand the water mobilisation efforts in cooperation with all departments, adding: “In the coming period, we will take important steps to ensure that our residents have access to healthier and more sustainable water resources.”