Turkey’s southern province of Mersin has been classified as being under ‘very severe drought’ threat, with a significant increase in water usage due to the recent earthquakes and the winter conditions.
On Friday, the Metropolitan Municipality and the General Directorate of Mersin Water and Sewerage Administration (MESKİ) warned of an imminent water shortage in the coming days due to the drought, and urged residents to use water economically. The Pamukluk Dam treatment-transmission line has been urgently requested to be started by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) General Directorate.
Mersin’s population has recently increased, particularly with Syrian refugees and earthquake victims, reaching almost 2.7 million people. This has resulted in a 15 percent increase in water consumption during peak periods, which is expected to increase to 50 percent in the summer months.
Dr Kemal Zorlu, Head of the Climate Change and Zero Waste Department of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality, emphasized that the city is among the ‘Very Dry Provinces’ according to the recently announced map, and that citizens will feel the serious problems in water scarcity during the summer due to the current drought.
