More than five months after the earthquake in Turkey, Hatay still suffers from an acute water crisis – Rokin Tuncel

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The water crisis in Hatay, one of the cities hardest hit by the devastating earthquakes in February, has escalated dramatically due to the recent heat wave that swept the country.

With temperatures reaching 40 degrees Celsius, the city faced severe water shortages, prompting authorities to send in drinking water by truck to remedy the situation. However, long lines formed in front of these water trucks as the demand for water increased.

In light of the ongoing crisis, we spoke with Mehmet Ikbal Polat, Director General of the Hatay Metropolitan Municipality Water and Sanitation Department (HATSU), Dr. Ali Canatlı from the Hatay Medical Chamber, and Silver Buyukeleş, an earthquake survivor.

Excessive workload, insufficient equipment

Polat highlighted that water shortages were more pronounced in rural areas rather than in the city Since the earthquake, he explained, their workload has increased exponentially, making it difficult for them to keep up:

“While we supply water to the city center, debris from the earthquake is causing problems in expanding pipeline networks. Our workload is enormous, with demand twelve times greater than before the earthquake.

“For example, we currently have orders for sewer connections for 2,000 container homes in different regions. Our workload is beyond HATSU’s capacity, and our team is struggling to handle it.

“We are facing issues related to materials, people and machines. In addition, demographic changes have occurred in certain regions. For example, a neighborhood that had a population of 1,000 before has more than five times the population, and Reyhanli, which previously had a population of 250,000, now has a population of 400,000. As a result, the water resources are insufficient.”

Polat indicated that they met with the new governor, Mustafa Masatli, and conveyed the required procedures. He emphasized the need for support similar to the one they received in the first two months after the earthquake. During that period, they cooperated with the water canal departments of 15 provinces, and now they need similar support from other provinces to efficiently handle the crisis.

Drinkable tap water

Regarding the quality of the water being provided, Polat reassured the public that the tap water is safe for consumption. “We treat the water and conduct periodic checks through the Public Health Directorate. We are making great efforts to treat the water with chlorine. In case there is any shortage of chlorine levels, we take immediate action,” he said.

The situation in Hatay remains critical, and as the water crisis continues, the authorities are working hard to provide basic resources and support to the affected areas.

Dr. Canatelli pointed out that during the rubble removal process, the water distribution networks were damaged, which led to irregular water supply. He stressed the urgent need for bottled water, especially in areas where tap water does not always arrive, given the scorching temperatures. He added that given that a person’s daily water needs are around 3 liters, the situation is causing great distress.

discrepancies in the water supply

He also highlighted the discrepancy in the water supply, noting that while a regular water delivery was available to the AFAD tents, the makeshift tents outside were receiving an irregular supply. In some areas that used to be villages, the water supply is constantly in short supply, and the arriving water trucks are not enough to meet the demand.

Furthermore, he explained that the quality of tap water varies across locations, with some places having acceptable levels of chlorine while others show insufficient. He pointed out that the analyzes conducted by the Ministry of Health revealed the presence of bacteria in some cases.

“This can be attributed to bursting of sewage and water pipes during demolitions and removal of rubble. As long as demolitions continue, so will the water problem, considering that nearly 50,000 buildings have yet to be demolished. Rapid removal of debris could be a partial solution to the problem.”

Unfair distribution of aid

Silver Büyükılıç, an earthquake survivor residing in Hatay Cirinol, stated that water cuts have started in the Cirinol neighborhood and some other areas after the disaster. She expressed concern about using tap water for anything beyond showering and cleaning due to the spread of the disease outbreak in the area:

“We can’t even use tap water for cooking because of our concerns. Although we don’t consume it directly, water-related illnesses such as diarrhea occur. We depend on filtered water or bottled water.

Purple Solidarity [Purple Solidarity] and the Social Freedom Platform set up a water treatment facility in Serinyol. However, this only served the neighborhood of Cirinole, and a large part of the population was still disadvantaged.

“People mostly choose bottled water, but there is a shortage of jobs and money, which makes it difficult to afford it. Six months have passed, and there has been no comprehensive solution to the water issue.

“Whenever a problem comes up on social media, water trucks are dispatched immediately. However, the distribution of aid seems unfair, which creates a sense of mistrust among people and leads to such long queues. We cannot reach the municipality or other authorities, and even if we communicate our concerns, we do not receive responses.”

earthquakes

On February 6, two earthquakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.6 struck the southern province of Marash in Turkey, causing devastation in 11 provinces in the south, southeast, and northern parts of Syria.

More than 50,000 people have been confirmed killed, and more than 227,000 buildings have been destroyed or severely damaged, according to government figures.

As a result, approximately 1.6 million people are still living in temporary shelters or makeshift tents, with limited access to basic services and basic living conditions. In addition, three million people had to flee their homes due to the disaster.

(RT/VK)

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