Istanbul’s water utility agency announced that over 3.4 million cubic meters of water had been supplied to Turkey’s most crowded city Tuesday, the highest in its history. The record comes amid soaring temperatures that reached 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) Wednesday, with a humidity rate of 43%.
Istanbul Water and Sewage Administration (ISKI) data revealed the water levels in dams supplying the city were at over 66%, with the lowest levels at Pabuçdere Dam at 17.59%. Dams and ponds serving the city of more than 15 million's main water resources have the capacity to store more than 868 million cubic meters of water. They currently hold over 574 million cubic meters of water.
Recent figures by the State Hydraulic Works (DSI) indicate that the city has enough drinking water to last seven months, even without rain.
The threat of drought loomed large in big cities where water levels diminished last year. The government readied an action plan when faced with the prospect of imminent drought and aims to introduce measures to promote the more efficient use of water and decrease the amount of water being used from underground dams.
Water levels in Istanbul’s dams have slightly dropped, having stood at 56.04% on Aug. 4, 2020. The city's water supply can vary due to high temperatures. Last year, the average water supply to the city stood at over 2.9 million cubic meters. Temperatures in the city will decrease to 36 degrees Celsius Thursday before climbing to 38 degrees Friday. Weather forecasts predict temperatures will taper after Friday but they are not expected to drop below 30 degrees Celsius this week.
Provinces across the country are experiencing sweltering temperatures, especially in the west and south which are gripped by forest fires. On Monday, overbearing heat triggered more electricity use, as people turned to air conditioning, which led to disruptions on the country’s power grid, with Istanbul and other cities experiencing hours of power outages.
