Three Pilot River Basins

Turkey is working towards good environmental status for water bodies, ensuring water efficiency, and developing economic instruments for this goal.

River basin management plans, including Programmes of Measures, with a special focus on the economic analyses and water efficiency instruments in accordance with the European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD), have been prepared for three river basins.

The Akarçay, Batı Akdeniz and Yeşilırmak River Basins are a testbed for Turkey’s capacity to implement the WFD and related directors, and serve to strengthen its ability to do so.

A guidance document was designed to assist specialists to conduct economic analyses in Turkish river basins according to WFD. Instruments for increasing water efficiency in municipal, industrial and agricultural sectors were determined and action plans were developed, by extrapolating the outputs of feasibility studies conducted in pilot areas.

This methodology to set tariffs for the drinking water supply and wastewater management services has been developed by reviewing state-of-the-art water service pricing practices in the municipal sector.