Providing Istanbul with drinking water: the politics of water security in a rapidly growing metropolis

Abstract

Istanbul has persistently experienced rapid population growth in recent years. Procurement of sufficient quantities of high quality water to the city has become a major concern for the national and local authorities. Initially, the central government was the major actor in dealing with water problems, but more recently the role of the local government has been claiming increasing significance. Interagency rivalries flourish, but the urgency of the need has served to depoliticize the problem and bring its engineering and managerial aspects to the fore. Istanbul's experience suggests that strong local institutional capabilities are important in meeting urban needs. Meeting water demand can be ameliorated by adopting policies that are cognizant of existing socioeconomic trends.