SUSTAINABLE URBAN WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT: A PRIORITY AGENDA ITEM IN TURKEY
Idil Arslan-Alaton*, Aysegul Tanik, Suleyman Ovez, Gulen Iskender,
Melike Gurel and Derin Orhon
*Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Turkey
(free)
The paper refers to the findings of detailed survey conducted within the context of an EU-granted MEDAWater Project that provides detailed and up-to-date information about the actual situation of Turkish urban wastewater treatment plants. According to the data gathered from the governmental agencies as well as by directly contacting the personnel in charge of the existing urban wastewater treatment plants of the country, there are currently 131 urban wastewater treatment plants in operation, out of which 41 are located in settlements with less than 10,000 inhabitants, and 28 in settlements with more than 100,000 inhabitants. Among the 131 treatment plants, 51 apply preliminary treatment, 73 operate secondary treatment units, and only 7 treatment plants practice tertiary treatment for advanced nitrogen and phosphorus removal. Actually, only 55% of the total Turkish population is being served by the state-owned sewage treatment works.
KEYWORDS Legal framework; Sustainable wastewater management; Urban wastewater treatment plants in Turkey; Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC; Wastewater treatment
