As the climate crisis increases heating and worsens the water scarcity crisis, Türkiye is taking crucial steps to address this crisis. Recently, many cities reported that reservoirs have plunged severely. According to the Istanbul Water and Sewage Administration, Istanbul’s reservoir level dropped to an average of 42.43% capacity, representing the “second lowest August level” in the past decade. According to Türkiye’s Meteorological Service, rainfall decreased by 71% compared to 2024.

The U.N. Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) reported that 88% of Türkiye’s land is highly vulnerable to desertification, leading to severe water scarcity by 2023. Türkiye is taking decisive steps and applying alternatives to tackle this crisis. However, with more international aid and partnerships in water projects, there could be more progress.

Challenges in Tackling Water Scarcity in Türkiye

While the government is making efforts to mitigate the crisis, challenges remain, including:

• Rising temperatures and reduced rainfall. These have left the country’s dams with little or no water, as in the case of Naip Dam in Tekirdağ, which fell to 0% in August.
• Shortages in yields across the country.
• The overuse of resources, combined with outdated water and agriculture policies, has worsened the crisis.

Steps To Address the Crisis

To address this crisis, Türkiye was forced to find alternatives, such as constructing pump systems for water delivery in the needed areas. Furthermore, on June 27, 2024, the World Bank approved $ 600 million for Türkiye to address the escalating threats of floods and droughts. The project includes constructing flood control facilities and improving real-time agricultural drought monitoring stations. The drought monitoring maps help farmers choose better crops and decide when they are suitable for irrigation so they don’t waste water.

On June 2, 2025, the World Bank approved $819 million in financing for the Türkiye Second Irrigation Modernization and Water Efficiency Project. This project focuses on improving irrigation systems, supporting at least 50,000 farms in areas experiencing extreme heat and flooding. Such a project greatly helps conserve more water since the agriculture sector consumes 85% of the total available water.

Additionally, on March 22, 2025, Türkiye’s National Water Efficiency Initiative was launched. The program includes events and campaigns to raise citizens’ awareness about the responsible use of water. Progress has been made in tackling the water crisis, but more effort is still needed.

– Eiman Elsawy

Eiman is based in Kirkland, WA, USA and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr