At Ondokuz Mayıs University, the event organized within the scope of March 22 World Water Day hosted a comprehensive program in which important messages were delivered regarding the protection of water resources and their sustainable management. Organized in cooperation with the OMU Center for Environmental Issues Research and Application and the Department of Environmental Engineering, the event was attended by a large number of academics, public institution representatives, and students.
The opening speech of the program was delivered by Prof. Dr. Nurdan Gamze Turan, Director of the Center for Environmental Issues Research and Application and also Head of the Department of Environmental Engineering. In her speech, Turan emphasized that water is a critical resource not only for daily life but also for the continuity of ecosystems, food security, and economic sustainability. She stated that the growing population, industrialization, and climate change in both the world and Turkey have significantly increased the pressure on water resources, and she particularly highlighted the risk of drought experienced in recent years.
Stating that climate change has caused irregularities in precipitation patterns, Turan noted that this situation threatens both surface and groundwater resources. She said that holistic approaches should be adopted in water management and emphasized that steps to be taken at the institutional and political levels are just as important as individual awareness. She also added that universities play a significant role in producing scientific knowledge and raising public awareness in this regard.
Following the opening speech, Fatih Güler, Head of the Planning, Project, Investment, and Construction Department of SASKİ General Directorate, met with participants through his conference titled “The Future of Water.” In his presentation, Güler drew attention to the increasingly severe global water crisis and emphasized that water has become a strategic resource. Pointing out that Turkey is not a water-rich country, Güler stated that the amount of usable water per capita has been decreasing year by year.
In his speech, Güler also addressed the work being carried out specifically in Samsun and shared detailed information about the infrastructure projects implemented by SASKİ, drinking water supply, reduction of water losses, and wastewater treatment investments. He stated that new investments alone are not sufficient to protect water resources and emphasized that the efficient use of existing resources and the prevention of waste are of vital importance.
Güler also stated that wastewater reuse, rainwater harvesting, and advanced treatment technologies will have a greater place in water management in the future, drawing attention to the responsibility of local governments in this matter. He emphasized that public awareness activities are at least as important as technical investments and stated that water conservation should become a part of daily life.
In addition to Günday Kara, Head of the Wastewater Treatment Department of SASKİ, many academics and students attended the event. Throughout the program, participants had the opportunity to gain comprehensive information about the current state of water resources, the risks faced, and possible solutions.
During the question-and-answer session held at the end of the conference, students and participants asked questions they were curious about regarding water management, local practices, and individual water-saving methods. The answers given by the experts especially helped increase young people’s interest in and awareness of the issue.
This meaningful event, organized within the scope of World Water Day, once again demonstrated that protecting water is a shared responsibility not only of institutions but of all segments of society. The program concluded by contributing to participants’ awareness and emphasizing the importance of sustainable water management.
