Financial Cooperation with Turkey

Sewage Collection Treatment Plant

Turkey - Fish are swimming in the Tigris again It used to stink to high heaven in Diyarbakir: untreated sewage flowed across the streets of the metropolis; it was used to water fruit and vegetable plots and discharged along open ditches into the Tigris. This resulted in the increasing spread of illnesses, such as typhoid fever, dysentery and diarrhoea, and in the severe pollution of the Tigris River. It was also a cause of disputes, especially with downstream users in Iraq. Already settled as long ago as 1300 before Christ, the city on the Tigris was once an illustrious trading metropolis. With its ancient centre encircled by fortifications dating from the 4th century, it offers one of the major attractions for sightseers in East Turkey. Today too, Diyarbakir is the biggest and politically most important centre in southeastern Anatolia. Just a few years after taking in a large influx of refugees, it provides a showcase example for the sustainable improvement of water supply and sanitation in an East Anatolian city, an example for nine regions in East Turkey where KfW Entwicklungsbank supports the development of efficient water management systems on behalf of the German Government under difficult conditions.

In a short space of time, the number of people infected by contaminated water has declined to less than a fifth thanks to the new treatment plant.

Fewer illnesses In 1990, the population of Diyarbakir still numbered 370,000. Then in 1993, it was inundated by a large wave of refugees fleeing the Turkish-Kurd conflict and the dire poverty in the villages of Anatolia. Most of these people also stayed after the conflicts abated. Today, about 850,000 people live in Diyarbakir and despite double the population in the space of only 15 years, the city has made decisive improvements to water supply and sanitation, enabling it to come to grips with its health problems. Before the refugees arrived, Diyarbakir recorded about 5,800 cases of typhoid, 2,660 of dysentery and 15,000 of diarrhoea a year. The number of infections shot up in a matter of a few years: the cases of typhoid fever and dysentery more than doubled and the number of people suffering from diarrhoea rose by 10,000. The reason for this was that only half of the households were connected to the public sewerage system. The other half disposed of their effluent on the premises; the hygienic conditions were disastrous, especially in the ancient city. There has now been a drastic drop in water-induced illnesses, despite twice the population. According to the latest figures, typhoid fever has declined from almost 13,000 to 2,750 cases a year, dysentery from 6,300 to 980 and the incidence of diarrhoea has diminished from 25,780 to only 3,700. This success story is due to a municipal investment programme by the Turkish government, which is jointly supported by the European Investment Bank and KfW Entwicklungsbank, which has invested more than EUR 50 million altogether in soft loans and grants to improve sanitation in the city of Diyarbakir.

Better sewage disposal The sewerage system in the densely populated and much enlarged districts has been extended by more than 200 kilometres or rehabilitated. After laying the sewer pipes, the lanes and streets were resurfaced. The paving also now fits in with the appearance of the archaeologically valuable buildings. Above all, though, a substantial improvement has been made to the quality of life and hygienic conditions in the city. After completion of all works, 85 per cent of Diyarbakir residents will be connected to the public sewerage system. Until recently, all sewage was still discharged untreated into the Tigris or used for irrigating fruit and vegetable fields on the edges of Diyarbakir. Pollution got

continuously worse. The last of the many fish that used to swim in the river were in danger of extinction. The residents in the downstream Turkish and Iraqi towns also suffered increasingly from the poor quality of Tigris water. Untreated sewage is still common in Turkey, despite greater efforts by municipalities and government. Setting a good example Then, Diyarbakir took the lead. The Diyarbakir Drinking Water and Sewage Directorate (DISKI) installed a mechanical treatment plant. The facility at the gates of the city on the banks of the Tigris was cofinanced with the help of KfW Entwicklungsbank and the EIB. It is also designed to cope with a future increase in population. The investment cost about EUR 20 million. About half of this was allotted for processing technology, which was supplied by German enterprises. Experts from Germany also trained the Turkish treatment plant operatives and prepared them for their work. Initially, the German specialists operated the plant with their colleagues in DISKI, but these now run it on their own. KfW Entwicklungsbank has impressed on the Directorates management the need for economically viable urban services and it now takes greater account of economic criteria when setting and collecting rates. This is by no means normal in Turkish towns, where rates are often set for political motives rather than cost recovery. In some municipalities, revenue does not even meet operating costs. As a result, funds are lacking for maintenance, service is not up to standard and no funds are available to pay for additional investments. The finances of the water authority in Diyarbakir have already improved considerably. After this success, to which the Deutsche Gesellschaft fr Technische Zusammenarbeit has also contributed, the Directorate does not intend to rest on its laurels; it also plans to reduce water losses due to pipeline leakages to put a stop to the wastage of precious drinking water and to cut operating costs by a large margin. The new sewerage system and the treatment plant have already had an impact: in a short time, the number of people falling ill due to contaminated water has declined to less than a fifth in Diyarbakir. Children and households there no longer have to obtain their drinking water from hazardous sources. The Tigris is cleaner as well, with anglers sitting on its banks again.

Brief project description

Country BMZ project number Status FC funds in EUR millions Turkey 2001 65 043 Completed 17.8 Sector/BMZ development area Drinking water, water management, sewage/waste disposal

Last updated: April 2008