Experts highlight that the escalating loss of water resources in Türkiye is driven by the dual pressures of climate change and a rising population, compounded by inefficient household water use and significant losses in urban water distribution networks.

A detailed examination of Türkiye’s domestic water consumption habits, the effectiveness of current water management policies and the tangible impacts of climate change and drought on water availability was recently conducted.

According to the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSI), Türkiye’s total annual water consumption reaches 57 billion cubic meters (2.01 trillion cubic feet), of which approximately 12% (6.8 billion cubic meters) is allocated to household use.

Halil Fatih Akgül, chairperson of the board of trustees of the Turkish Waste Prevention Foundation (TISVA), emphasized that the average daily water consumption per person in Türkiye is 217 liters (57.33 gallons).

This figure notably surpasses both the global average and the recommended sustainable threshold of 150 liters per day, indicating a pressing need for efficiency improvements.

Akgül further detailed that hygiene-related activities account for roughly 70% of domestic water use, with showering, bathing, washing dishes and laundry contributing the most. Additionally, water used for cooking and drinking makes up around 15% to 20% of household water use.

Addressing the inefficiencies inherent in everyday routines, Akgül underscored the impact of seemingly small behavioral changes. For instance, traditional 16-liter toilet tanks in four-person households account for about 4 tons of water per month, a figure that can be reduced by up to 70% through the adoption of dual-flush or low-volume systems.

He also highlighted that prolonged shower durations and the use of high-flow showerheads contribute significantly to excessive water consumption. Conventional showerheads release 15 to 20 liters per minute, whereas water-efficient models limit usage to 9 to 12 liters per minute. Cutting down shower time by a single minute can yield annual water savings of approximately 5 tons per household.

One practical water-saving method Akgül advocates is the "3-7-10 rule”: open the tap for three seconds to wet hands, turn it off during soap application, then rinse for seven seconds, thereby limiting water use to just 10 seconds. He illustrated the gravity of neglecting such simple measures by calculating that if an individual brushes their teeth twice a day for one minute without turning off the tap, this behavior alone wastes around 8 tons of water annually.

Assuming that 20% of the population follows this habit, the annual economic loss translates to approximately TL13 billion ($464 million).

Moreover, water wastage is not confined to indoor activities. Akgül pointed out that personal vehicle washing and garden irrigation practices contribute substantially to overall consumption. Without supervision, washing a car at home can consume as much water as a household would use in a week.

Similarly, traditional hose irrigation is far less efficient than automated systems, leading to unnecessary water use when aggregated over weeks.

Dursun Yıldız, chairperson of the Water Policies Association, acknowledged that while domestic water use is not the largest component of total consumption, it remains a critical and irreplaceable resource, particularly vulnerable to the meteorological and hydrological droughts induced by climate change.

Yıldız stressed that water consumption at home is habitual rather than consciously managed. "Although there have been some advancements in water awareness in Türkiye, it is challenging to assert that such consciousness has fully matured into a widespread culture of water conservation,” he explained.

Citing a three-year-old Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry survey, Yıldız noted that although 89% of respondents anticipate future water scarcity, this concern has yet to translate into sustained water-saving behaviors.

A significant challenge in water management remains the high rate of water loss in urban distribution networks. Currently, an estimated 40% of the water delivered to households is lost due to leaks, unauthorized use or system inefficiencies.

Yıldız emphasized that reducing these network losses should be a top priority, as doing so would enable more sustainable water management without necessitating costly new dam constructions.

He outlined that cutting water loss in urban systems to 20% could enhance water supply security by 10% to 15% during drought periods, provide water access to 1.8 million people without further infrastructure investments and generate energy savings equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 400,000 households.

Furthermore, this reduction would contribute to an ecological benefit comparable to the carbon sequestration capacity of approximately 10 million trees annually.

To transform water efficiency awareness into tangible behavioral change, Yıldız advocated strengthening public campaigns, incorporating water conservation education from early childhood, and deploying advanced technological tools.