’Istanbul has best tap water’
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Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Ocak 07, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - As Istanbul readies to host the World Water Forum, the environment and forestry minister yesterday claimed the tap water in Istanbul was of a better quality than in any other European city.
Veysel Eroğlu, speaking at a conference ahead of the Fifth World Water Forum, which will be held in Istanbul in March, also said Turkey had a well-established policy for water usage.
Istanbul’s water consumption has been calculated until 2040, with the recent project providing water from the Melen River. Istanbul uses 2 million cubic meters of water a day. When the Melen project is finished, Istanbul will have a supply of 1.1 billion cubic meters water per year, double the city’s demand, according to Eroğlu.
Eroğlu talked about the preparations for the Fifth World Water Forum, to be hosted between March 16 and 22. A congress center in Sütlüce will be built exclusively for this forum. The old Galata Bridge will reopen to allow visitors to walk from Feshane to Sütlüce, two places where the forum will be held.
The budget of the forum is set at 17.5 million euros and supported in cooperation with the World Water Council, or WWC, Eroğlu said.
The forum, the biggest environment organization in the world, is expected to welcome around 21,000 people, and many ministers, bureaucrats and presidents worldwide. "I invited 177 deputies from several countries and President Abdullah Gül invited around 30 heads of state from around the world," Eroğlu said.
Preparation for the forum took more than two years and 736 declarations have already been made, Eroğlu said. Meetings to cover issues of water wastage, drought, water energy, ground water, and watering methods will be held in 15 areas throughout Turkey. Professor Oktay Tabasaran, the general secretary to the forum, said he did not believe the main cause of global warming was the amount of carbon gasses in the air. "Global warming is inevitable and we should find ways to deal with it," said Tabasaran. At the end of the forum, the "Istanbul Commitment" will be open to signatories.
As a press member mentioned that some associations had withdrawn from the forum, accusing it of making a commercial enterprise out of water, Eroğlu said access to water was an uncontestable human right and it was the duty of all local administrations and governments to provide water to its residents. "Some associations may misunderstand the forum and they may withdraw from it," he said.
Surprising speech from minister
Eroğlu surprised the press members by starting his speech by giving information about the microstructure of the water element.
"Be glorious like water," said Eroğlu to attendants of conference. "Water is made of two hydrogen and one oxygen molecules. Water is like a miracle," said Eroğlu.
"A Japanese scientist revealed that if one tells bad words like ’I will kill you,’ to water, then it reacts negatively. If one tells ’I love you’ to water, then its crystals becomes more beautiful," said Eroğlu.
Istanbul’s water consumption has been calculated until 2040, with the recent project providing water from the Melen River. Istanbul uses 2 million cubic meters of water a day. When the Melen project is finished, Istanbul will have a supply of 1.1 billion cubic meters water per year, double the city’s demand, according to Eroğlu.
Eroğlu talked about the preparations for the Fifth World Water Forum, to be hosted between March 16 and 22. A congress center in Sütlüce will be built exclusively for this forum. The old Galata Bridge will reopen to allow visitors to walk from Feshane to Sütlüce, two places where the forum will be held.
The budget of the forum is set at 17.5 million euros and supported in cooperation with the World Water Council, or WWC, Eroğlu said.
The forum, the biggest environment organization in the world, is expected to welcome around 21,000 people, and many ministers, bureaucrats and presidents worldwide. "I invited 177 deputies from several countries and President Abdullah Gül invited around 30 heads of state from around the world," Eroğlu said.
Preparation for the forum took more than two years and 736 declarations have already been made, Eroğlu said. Meetings to cover issues of water wastage, drought, water energy, ground water, and watering methods will be held in 15 areas throughout Turkey. Professor Oktay Tabasaran, the general secretary to the forum, said he did not believe the main cause of global warming was the amount of carbon gasses in the air. "Global warming is inevitable and we should find ways to deal with it," said Tabasaran. At the end of the forum, the "Istanbul Commitment" will be open to signatories.
As a press member mentioned that some associations had withdrawn from the forum, accusing it of making a commercial enterprise out of water, Eroğlu said access to water was an uncontestable human right and it was the duty of all local administrations and governments to provide water to its residents. "Some associations may misunderstand the forum and they may withdraw from it," he said.
Surprising speech from minister
Eroğlu surprised the press members by starting his speech by giving information about the microstructure of the water element.
"Be glorious like water," said Eroğlu to attendants of conference. "Water is made of two hydrogen and one oxygen molecules. Water is like a miracle," said Eroğlu.
"A Japanese scientist revealed that if one tells bad words like ’I will kill you,’ to water, then it reacts negatively. If one tells ’I love you’ to water, then its crystals becomes more beautiful," said Eroğlu.