Water from Turkey

September 4, 2015 

By Esra Aygin

The first drop of water through an 80 kilometre trans-Mediterranean pipeline from southern Turkey to the north will arrive by the end of 2015, according to Birol Çınar of Turkey’s State Waterworks.

Despite delays, the ambitious water transfer project to supply the occupied north with 75 million cubic metres of drinking and irrigation water annually until 2040, is close to completion said Çınar. But he was careful to add that he does not want to set a strict deadline.

“This project is first of its kind in the world. In that, construction is sensitive and complex, and is highly dependent on weather conditions. So I have always been careful in not giving exact dates. An optimistic estimate would be July-August 2015. Even if there are some delays, I don’t expect them to last months,” said Çınar.

The project, expected to cost some 1.2 billion Turkish liras (some €430 million) uses an experimental technology, where the under-water section of the pipeline will not be laid on the seabed as is the customary practice, but will be suspended 280 metres below the surface of the sea.

“The deepest point in the Mediterranean between Turkey and Cyprus is 1,450 metres,” said Çınar. “It would not have been economically viable to produce pipes that withstand the pressure at such depths and to install them. The reason we chose 280 metres is because this is the safest depth. The most sophisticated submarine does not go below 200 metres.”

The total length of the trans-sea pipeline is 80 kilometres, 66.4 kilometres of which constitutes the much-anticipated suspended section. Some 11 kilometers out of the 66.4 have already been installed, said Çınar. Work was suspended for three months leading to April due to unfavourable weather conditions.

Asked whether they were faced with unforeseen problems in the installation of the suspended section, Çınar was honest in saying that it has been difficult to use high-density polyethylene pipes for the project.

“Of course, we have been faced with difficulties arising from the fact that this is a unique project. High-density polyethylene pipes are not heavy as steel pipes for example, and it is difficult to hold them in place when the sea is wavy or when the wind is blowing strong.”

Each 500-metre section of the suspended pipeline will be tethered to a total of 140 220-tonne cement anchorage blocks on the seabed with steel ropes. Floats will be used to help keep the pipeline in place.
Half of the 75 million cubic metres of water will be treated and distributed to Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta-Trikomo and Rizokarpaso regions respectively through an internal distribution network of a total of 475 kilometres.

The Nicosia distribution network has already been constructed. The Kyrenia, Famagusta-Trikomo and Rizokarpaso networks are expected to be completed at the end of this year, said Çınar. The other half of the annual 75 million cubic metres will be used for irrigating 6,400 hectares of land in Morphou and 7,400 hectares in Mesaoria.

Similar water transfer projects in the world have all been carried out by laying the pipeline on the seabed. Therefore, some observers question how realistic the project is and even wonder if it will be completed. Çınar dismissed all doubts. “This project is the result of almost decade of studies,” he said.
“All the necessary tests and experiments have been conducted both on land and under water. We are 100% certain that the project will be successful.”

Although the water is expected soon, the Turkish Cypriot authorities are still to decide how it will be managed. The municipalities in the north strongly oppose the privatisation of the distribution of water.
“We propose the transfer of operating rights,” said Çınar.

“But we understand this is a difficult decision. You are trying to change an established system. Of course there will be many objections.”

Since it depends on the model of operation, the price people will have to pay for the water is also still unknown. Nonetheless, Çınar assured that it will not be more expensive than the average price Turkish Cypriots currently pay for water, which means that there will be no full cost recovery. The price of water currently varies from town to town in the north.

Çınar also dismissed rumours that natural gas or electricity will be transferred using the same pipeline.
“Electricity and natural gas both require completely different structures. It is impossible to transfer either through our system,” he said.

The project has drawn harsh criticism from certain circles in the north in that it will further increase dependence on Turkey, increase demand for water rather than satiate it, and cause an environmental catastrophe.

On the environmental impact concerns, Çınar said: “I would be lying if I told you that we have not damaged the environment. But we are doing our best to minimise the damage.

“We are carrying out a huge project to meet one of the most basic needs of the people. It is inevitable to cut trees. It is inevitable to change the environment a bit. You need rocks, so it is inevitable to operate a quarry. I find all these criticisms a little too harsh.”

It is soon to be seen how this controversial project will affect the Turkish Cypriots’ dependence on Turkey, whether it will satiate the water needs and whether its benefits will be able to overshadow the environmental and ecological damage caused so far.

http://in-cyprus.com/water-from-turkey/

Turkey piles on the pressure (The Cyprus Weekly, 19 February 2016)

By Esra Aygin

The relations between Turkey and the north turned sour once again during the past week after the Turkish government mounted pressure on Turkish Cypriots to accept its terms for the operation of water from Turkey whilst also repeating its demand that some 10,000 Turks living on the island to be naturalised.

Following tense negotiations in Ankara over the management of water reaching the island through a trans-Mediterranean pipeline, Turkish Cypriot “prime minister” Omer Kalyoncu implied that the water will not be delivered unless Turkey’s terms are accepted, and complained of the oppressive treatment of his “ministers” during the meetings.

“Turkish Cypriot ministers had to deal with Turkish deputy undersecretaries who sat opposite them. This is a problem. The treatment we were faced with in Ankara indicates why this process did not lead to a positive conclusion,” said Kalyoncu.

The draft agreement reached in Ankara, which envisages the operation of the water by a private company, has once again been rejected by the CTP party assembly, as well as many political parties and non-governmental organisations in the north mainly on grounds that it bypasses municipalities.

In a separate development that added fuel to the flames, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly lambasted visiting Turkish Cypriot officials for not naturalising some 10,000 Turks, who have gained the right to apply for and receive Turkish Cypriot citizenship.

“Why are you not granting the citizenships? You have to take the necessary steps,” Erdogan was quoted by Turkish daily Milliyet as saying.

Under the current Turkish Cypriot citizenship law, anyone – who has been living in the northern part of the island legally for at least five years – is entitled to apply for and receive citizenship.

However, The Turkish Cypriot administration has halted the granting of citizenships except for births and marriages since Republican Turkish Party CTP came to the “government” as the major coalition partner in 2013.

This is not the first time the citizenship issue was raised by Turkish authorities.

During his visit to the north in December, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reportedly asked citizenships to be granted to some 26,500 Turks.

It is understood that Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party AKP, which held an election campaign in the northern part of Cyprus too ahead of the November general elections in Turkey, made a promise to the Turks on the island that their citizenship problem would be solved.

The reiteration of this demand prompted Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to make a public statement.

“I have never approved the mass granting of citizenships and there is no harm in saying this,” said Akinci. “There is a negotiation process that I am carrying out based on the formal citizenship data. These data include all our citizens. I cannot keep changing the data on the table.”

It remains to be seen how the latest standoff between Turkey and Turkish Cypriots will end. The Turkish Cypriot administration has limited room to manoeuvre however, as it economically depends on Turkey.

“Unfortunately as Turkish Cypriots, we have an unhealthy relationship with Turkey,” said CTP “parliamentarian” Armagan Candan. And this fact, which arises from being economically dependent on Turkey, slaps us in the face especially during sensitive times as these.”

http://in-cyprus.com/turkey-piles-on-the-pressure/

Turkey piles on the pressure (The Cyprus Weekly, 20 February 2016)

By Esra Aygin

The relations between Turkey and the north turned sour once again during the past week after the Turkish government mounted pressure on Turkish Cypriots to accept its terms for the operation of water from Turkey whilst also repeating its demand that some 10,000 Turks living on the island to be naturalised.

Following tense negotiations in Ankara over the management of water reaching the island through a trans-Mediterranean pipeline, Turkish Cypriot “prime minister” Omer Kalyoncu implied that the water will not be delivered unless Turkey’s terms are accepted, and complained of the oppressive treatment of his “ministers” during the meetings.

“Turkish Cypriot ministers had to deal with Turkish deputy undersecretaries who sat opposite them. This is a problem. The treatment we were faced with in Ankara indicates why this process did not lead to a positive conclusion,” said Kalyoncu.

The draft agreement reached in Ankara, which envisages the operation of the water by a private company, has once again been rejected by the CTP party assembly, as well as many political parties and non-governmental organisations in the north mainly on grounds that it bypasses municipalities.

In a separate development that added fuel to the flames, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly lambasted visiting Turkish Cypriot officials for not naturalising some 10,000 Turks, who have gained the right to apply for and receive Turkish Cypriot citizenship.

“Why are you not granting the citizenships? You have to take the necessary steps,” Erdogan was quoted by Turkish daily Milliyet as saying.

Under the current Turkish Cypriot citizenship law, anyone – who has been living in the northern part of the island legally for at least five years – is entitled to apply for and receive citizenship.

However, The Turkish Cypriot administration has halted the granting of citizenships except for births and marriages since Republican Turkish Party CTP came to the “government” as the major coalition partner in 2013.

This is not the first time the citizenship issue was raised by Turkish authorities.

During his visit to the north in December, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu reportedly asked citizenships to be granted to some 26,500 Turks.

It is understood that Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party AKP, which held an election campaign in the northern part of Cyprus too ahead of the November general elections in Turkey, made a promise to the Turks on the island that their citizenship problem would be solved.

The reiteration of this demand prompted Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci to make a public statement.

“I have never approved the mass granting of citizenships and there is no harm in saying this,” said Akinci. “There is a negotiation process that I am carrying out based on the formal citizenship data. These data include all our citizens. I cannot keep changing the data on the table.”

It remains to be seen how the latest standoff between Turkey and Turkish Cypriots will end. The Turkish Cypriot administration has limited room to manoeuvre however, as it economically depends on Turkey.

“Unfortunately as Turkish Cypriots, we have an unhealthy relationship with Turkey,” said CTP “parliamentarian” Armagan Candan. And this fact, which arises from being economically dependent on Turkey, slaps us in the face especially during sensitive times as these.”

http://in-cyprus.com/turkey-piles-on-the-pressure/

Water wars escalate (The Cyprus Weekly, 17 January 2016)

By Esra Aygin

The latest standoff between the Turkish Cypriot and Turkish authorities over the management of water reaching the island’s northern part from Turkey, through a trans-Mediterranean pipeline, could soon leave the north without water, money or ‘government’.

The disagreement, which has elevated into a full-blown crisis – with Turkish embassy in the north and the main coalition partner Republican Turkish Party CTP – exchanging harsh remarks – is likely to spell the end of the coalition and lead to early elections in the north as early as February, said a senior Turkish Cypriot official on condition of anonymity.

Within the framework of a state-of-the-art €500-million project, inaugurated in October, Turkey is to supply the north with 75 million cubic meters of drinking and irrigation water annually until 2040.

Turkey insists that the operating right of not only this water, but all water resources of the north, is transferred to a private company. CTP on the other hand, is refusing to leave municipalities out and rejects a private monopoly in the sector.

The water is now idle – flowing sometimes to the Panagra dam and sometimes into the sea for what officials call “technical reasons”.

The confrontation has interrupted a financial aid agreement between Turkey and the north, and the junior coalition partner National Unity Party UBP has indicated that it is not willing to stand by CTP in the prolonged confrontation.

The collapse of the grand coalition ‘government’ with 39 seats in the 50-seat ‘parliament’ at a time when the negotiations to solve the Cyprus problem have reached a sensitive stage would inevitably have an adverse impact.

Many had hoped that the controversial CTP-UBP coalition would minimise the voice of rejectionists of a solution and ensure social unity behind a future agreement.

“I don’t anticipate, think or want the coalition to collapse,” CTP leader Mehmet Ali Talat told the Cyprus Weekly, acknowledging however that this may happen.

“We want this issue to be resolved and we are open to further negotiations and new suggestions.”

The CTP party assembly voted down the latest proposal of Turkey which had allowed for Turkish Cypriot municipalities to get a 10% share from the revenue from water, which would be operated by a private international company selected through a tender.

CTP’s rejection prompted the Turkish Embassy in the north to make a harsh statement and prescribe that the “right address for the issue is not the party assembly but the council of ministers”.
“It is up to CTP to choose how it makes its decision,” responded Talat through his social media account.

Although not directly related, the quagmire has also deadlocked talks on a financial aid protocol between Turkey and the north, hindering the flow of money from Turkey leaving civil servants and pensioners without the traditional year-end bonus payments, and farmers and producers without subsidies.

“There is a very serious crisis between Turkey and the north,” said the official talking on condition of anonymity. “The standoff has affected cooperation and coordination over all other issues including the financial aid protocol.”

CTP finds itself in a very difficult position where it may have to give in to Turkey’s demands or risk not only financial stability but also political stability and a very important reunification process.

http://in-cyprus.com/water-wars-escalate/

In deep waters (The Cyprus Weekly, 16 October 2015)

By Esra Aygin

As the much-anticipated water from Turkey reached the northern part of Cyprus earlier this month, through an ambitious trans-Mediterranean pipeline, a bitter crisis has emerged over how this water will be managed.

Returning to the management crisis, Turkey, saying the municipalities in the northern part of Cyprus do not have the financial means and are not qualified to make the extra investments and run the project, is demanding that the operating rights of the water are transferred to a private company through a public tender.

Turkish Cypriot municipalities, on the other hand, are strongly opposing privatisation of the distribution and management of water, saying that this would take away their primary source of income and effectively, spell their end.

The crisis – which initially seemed to be between the Turkish Cypriot “government” and Turkey, with Turkish Cypriot “prime minister” Omer Kalyoncu strongly rejecting the privatisation idea – has turned into a conflict between coalition partners Republican Turkish Party CTP and National Unity Party UBP and now threatens to topple the “government”.

UBP leader Huseyin Ozgurgun, who at first remained silent over the issue, expressed his disapproval of the dispute with Turkey over the management of water. Ozgurgun, earlier this week, said he disagrees with CTP’s position and added that the coalition may collapse due to the disagreement.

“The municipalities are already bankrupt and in debt. How will they manage this water? If the coalition needs to collapse over this issue, let it collapse… We have a debt of gratitude to our motherland,” said Ozgurgun.

The crisis was in fact foreseeable,with Turkey indicating since the beginning that it wanted the operating rights of water to be transferred to a private company with the necessary financial means and know-how.

Turkey states that an additional 600 million Turkish lira (about €180 million) investment must be made by the party that will manage the water to render the project sustainable and cover the operating costs, including the pumping station, treatment plant and electricity expenses. Replacement of antiquated water meters to maximise payment collection, repairing or replacement of the water distribution network to minimise up to 40% leakage loss are among the work that needs to be completed.

Former Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat’s CTP on the other hand, wants to set up an autonomous water management system for the management of the water. CTP is working on the legal framework of an autonomous Water Institution to be responsible for transferring the water from the dam in Panagra to the Myrtou treatment plant, and to the water tanks of municipalities.

From that point on, BESKI – a company set up by 26 municipalities in the north – will take over the distribution of the water to households, billing and collection, according to CTP’s plan. There is no indication on how BESKI will finance the necessary investments.

CTP is being criticised for not making any efforts to negotiate with or convince Turkey or providing any alternatives for almost two years now, even though it had ample information on Turkey’s privatisation demand.

“We never believed that this water would come,” wrote journalist Aysu Basri Akter on www.gazete360.com

“No politician took this seriously and made it a topic on the agenda. They did not take Turkey’s vision into consideration.

“They did not believe in it… Moreover, they acted with the approach that ‘If there is a project that needs to be done, Turkey will do it’.”

“And in fact, this is exactly what happened. Turkey prepared its strategy, did its homework and completed its project. Now, the debate over whether the water will be managed by an autonomous authority a private company is an overdue and meaningless debate for Turkey…”

As the Panagra dam is slowly filling and preparation is underway for a flamboyant inauguration ceremony with the participation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this weekend, it is unclear how the crisis will be overcome. A protocol that calls for the privatisation of the management of water and the transfer of the ownership of water-distribution pipelines to Turkey, needs to be signed between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot “government” before the project can be given an official start. Talat has reportedly conveyed to Turkey behind closed doors that he would withdraw from the “government” if the insistence on privatisation continues.

Within the framework of the 1.6 billion Turkish Lira (about €500 million) project to supply the northern part of Cyprus with 75 million cubic metres of drinking and irrigation water annually until 2040, the water from Turkey’s Alakopru Dam in southern Turkey, will be sent to a dam in Panagra.

Half of the 75 million cubic metres of water will be treated in a plant in Myrtou and distributed to Nicosia, Kyrenia, Famagusta-Trikomo and Rizokarpaso regions through an internal distribution network of a total of 475 kilometres.  The other half will be used in irrigation in Mesaoria and Morphou. The project is a first in the world and has used an experimental technology, where the underwater section of the pipeline is not laid on the seabed but suspended 280 meters below the surface of the sea. The total length of the trans-sea pipeline is 80 kilometres, 66.4 kilometres of which constitutes the suspended section.

http://in-cyprus.com/in-deep-waters/