Reservoir levels supplying Istanbul have risen above 70 percent following recent rainfall, yet an expert warns that current levels remain insufficient to guarantee long-term water security for the megacity.
Data from Istanbul’s water authority shows that the city’s overall dam levels have reached 70 percent. While key reservoirs like Elmalı and Ömerli are sitting high at 92 percent, others — including Sazlıdere (45 percent) and Terkos (56 percent) — are still lagging behind.
The city has received 267 million cubic meters of water this year from the Melen and Yeşilçay systems, while the total treated drinking water supplied reached approximately 300 million cubic meters.
Despite the recent increase, Istanbul’s total stored water amounts to 606 million cubic meters — well below its annual demand of around 1.5 billion cubic meters.
Meriç Albay of Istanbul University emphasized that the recent rainfall has been critical, particularly after a winter marked by insufficient snowfall. However, he cautioned against complacency: “We may reach 75 percent, but we are still 11 points below last year.”
Albay highlighted that even full reservoirs cannot meet the city’s needs, making continuous precipitation and external water transfers essential. He also warned that declining snowpack — down by 25 centimeters nationwide — could reduce river flows feeding reservoirs, raising the risk of consecutive drought years.
Albay identified rapid urbanization, population growth and water loss in distribution systems as key challenges.
He further stressed the urgency of conservation and alternative solutions, including rainwater harvesting and water reuse, while cautioning that desalination remains costly due to pollution in the Marmara Sea. Without stronger planning and public awareness, Albay warned, seasonal water shortages could emerge as early as the summer months.
