A severe drought in Türkiye’s northwestern province of Tekirdag has drained the region’s main dams, leaving many homes without water for weeks and forcing authorities to seek alternative supplies.
Authorities say the water shortage is part of a wider national issue, with several provinces warning of limited freshwater supply this summer. Rainfall in Türkiye fell 71% in July from last year, and in the Marmara region, including Tekirdag and Istanbul, it dropped 95% below the monthly norm, according to the Turkish Meteorological Service.
During the last ten months, precipitation sank 26% across the country, reaching the lowest level in 52 years.
In Tekirdag, the Naip Dam, which saw no rainfall in June or July, reached 0% capacity in August, compared with 21% at the same time last year. To cope, authorities have delivered irrigation water for domestic use and installed pumps to supply urban areas.
Mehmet Ali Sismanlar, head of Tekirdag’s Water and Sewerage Administration (TESKI), said the drought has worsened over the past decade and climate change has amplified the problem.
“We are the area and the province that has been affected the most by the drought in Türkiye,” he said. Sismanlar added that some neighbourhoods had to rely on groundwater, which has sunk to twice its original depth over the years.
Residents are struggling with daily life.
“I have been living in filth for the past two months. We cannot shower or do chores properly, and we fetch water in large bottles from nearby areas. The last time I showered was when I went to Istanbul, 130 kilometres away," said Mehmet, 70, who lives in Dereagzi neighbourhood.
His wife, Fatma, 65, added, “We stay up at night to fill bottles in case the water supply is resumed. It has completely disrupted our lives.”
Another local, Remzi Karabas, 71, said he takes his laundry to Istanbul.
“We’ll leave some day soon. What can we do here? Water does not flow at all,” he said.
The Turkmenli dam, usually reserved for irrigation, has been tapped to supply Tekirdag’s Marmaraereglisi district, while authorities continue to open new wells despite the declining groundwater levels.
The crisis comes as Türkiye faces one of its worst droughts in decades. Reuters reported that multiple provinces, including Izmir and Usak, have faced significant water cuts this summer. In Usak, municipalities were told water would only be available six hours a day due to depleted reservoirs.
Experts warn that the situation highlights the long-term challenges of climate change in the region, as urban and rural areas alike face increasing water scarcity.
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