State Hydraulic Works to provide water supply in earthquake zone

Minister of Agriculture and Forestry İbrahim Yumaklı stated in a written statement that the Ministry is carrying out intensive efforts to provide drinking and utility water to citizens living in provinces damaged by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes.

Providing information that 126 wells were drilled by DSİ immediately after the earthquake disaster to meet drinking and utility water needs, including 41 in Malatya, 40 in Kahramanmaraş, 36 in Hatay, 4 in Adıyaman, and 5 in Osmaniye, Yumaklı stated the following:

"With the wells we drilled, approximately 2,587 liters of drinking water per second have been provided, supplying drinking water to more than 905 thousand of our citizens and irrigation water to an area of 576 hectares. All damages to drinking water sources, transmission lines, treatment plants, reservoir connection lines, and reservoirs in our 11 earthquake-affected provinces and their associated districts have been repaired. Treated water has been delivered to the drinking water reservoirs of provinces and districts and made available to our citizens. In addition, we provided maintenance, repair, and material support for malfunctions in city networks under the responsibility of the Iller Bank and water and sewerage administrations."

"WORK HAS BEGUN FOR 10 SETTLEMENT AREAS"

Minister Yumaklı stated that a protocol was signed with AFAD to meet the urgent drinking and utility water needs of new settlements whose construction has begun or will begin by TOKİ in the earthquake-affected provinces. Yumaklı provided the information that "Within the scope of the protocol signed between DSİ and AFAD, drinking and utility water for approximately 100 thousand residences in 27 settlement areas will be provided by DSİ."

Noting that tenders for 10 settlement areas were held in the first phase to provide urgent drinking water to 52 thousand residences and that work has started rapidly, Yumaklı said, "Project work for the remaining 17 settlement areas in the second phase is continuing at the same speed. We are always by the side of our citizens in the earthquake-affected provinces, just as we have been from the very first moment."