Executive Summary

Türkiye’s Water Challenge: Türkiye is approaching water scarcity by mid-century due to population growth and climate change. By 2050 the population may reach 105 million, reducing annual water availability per capita to around 1,066 m³ – near the “water poverty” threshold. This underscores an urgent need for smarter water governance. Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers transformative tools to improve water efficiency, quality, and resilience. Globally, AI-driven systems are setting new benchmarks in precision and responsiveness for water management, and Türkiye is beginning to leverage these innovations in irrigation and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene).

Current Adoption: Türkiye’s irrigation sector has seen initial deployments of AI and digital technologies. Pilot projects demonstrate significant gains: for example, an AI-supported smart irrigation system in Adana’s Imamoğlu district achieved up to 65–70% water savings and 90% reductions in energy use and labor. Academic trials likewise confirm AI can optimize water use – one university study in Rize found AI-controlled irrigation minimized water loss, adapting to soil moisture and weather in real time. In urban water and sanitation, digitalization is at an earlier stage. Major cities are exploring smart water networks, and researchers have shown how machine learning improves wastewater treatment efficiency and effluent quality prediction. These developments remain nascent but illustrate AI’s potential across Türkiye’s water value chain.

Techno-Political Dynamics: The Turkish government plays a pivotal role in advancing AI in water governance. National plans call for modernizing water infrastructure and embracing digital tools. The 12th Development Plan (2024–2028) explicitly mandates expanding ICT use in irrigation management, while a new Water Efficiency Strategy (2023–2033) sets targets to cut municipal water losses from 33.5% today to 10% by 2040 and to raise irrigation efficiency from ~49% now to 65% by 2050. Achieving these goals will require widespread adoption of smart meters, sensors, automation and AI analytics. Government agencies – from the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) to municipal water utilities – are beginning to invest in such technologies, supported by policy incentives and public awareness campaigns (e.g. the 2023 nationwide Water Efficiency Mobilization). Private sector and civil society actors are also emerging: local tech firms and startups are developing AI solutions for leak detection and precision irrigation, while NGOs and research institutions partner on pilot projects (including international EU-funded initiatives) to demonstrate AI’s value. International donors like the World Bank and European Union provide financial and technical support for modernizing Türkiye’s water systems, aligning with global best practices.

International Context: Compared to peer nations, Türkiye stands at an inflection point. Countries with similar or higher GDP have made AI and “digital water” a cornerstone of water strategy. In Europe, for instance, utilities are investing billions – Spain has committed $3.3 billion to digitize its water cycle and Italy $2.1 billion to reduce leaks – driving the European digital water market to double to a projected $27.2 billion by 2033. These investments include AI for real-time network monitoring and optimization. Israel, a regional leader in water tech, already uses AI-based systems (like WINT and Kando) to detect leaks and monitor wastewater, contributing to 85% reuse of its treated wastewater for irrigation. South Korea’s national water corporation (K-water) similarly deploys AI for smart treatment plants and network management as part of its climate-tech agenda. Türkiye’s strategic position – as an upper-middle income country with high water stress – makes it imperative to emulate and tailor these successes. While Türkiye has begun its journey (e.g. the Imamoğlu smart irrigation project being a notable success), scaling up AI adoption nationwide and keeping pace with global advances will require concerted policy action.

Vision 2050: Looking ahead, AI can be a linchpin in Türkiye’s water security by 2050. In irrigation, AI-driven platforms could dynamically allocate water based on crop needs, weather forecasts, and basin-level data, maximizing yield per drop of water. In WASH services, intelligent water networks could self-detect leaks, optimize pressure and quality, and ensure equitable distribution even under drought conditions. AI-enabled early warning systems could safeguard against floods and pollution – indeed, an international project is piloting AI sensors in Thrace’s Ergene River to trace contaminant spills to their source within minutes. Realizing this vision will require Türkiye to integrate AI across all levels of water governance, from field-level IoT sensors to national data platforms, supported by skilled human operators and sound policies.

Policy Recommendations: To harness AI effectively in water governance, Turkish policymakers should: (1) Invest in digital infrastructure (sensors, remote monitoring, connectivity) across irrigation schemes and utility networks, ensuring robust data for AI systems; (2) Build technical capacity in government and water agencies through training and partnerships, so staff can deploy and manage AI tools; (3) Foster innovation via public–private collaboration and pilot programs, scaling up successful AI solutions like the Imamoğlu model to other regions; (4) Strengthen the regulatory framework – finalize the draft AI law and the long-pending Water Law – to provide clear guidance on data sharing, privacy, and ethical AI use in critical sectors; (5) Promote open data and interoperability so that various stakeholders (universities, startups, utilities) can contribute AI applications within a unified national water information system; (6) Leverage international support and best practices, aligning with EU standards and accessing climate finance or development aid for “digital water” initiatives; and (7) Engage the public and farmers through awareness campaigns and incentives (such as smart irrigation subsidies and water-use efficiency grants) to encourage grassroots adoption of AI-driven practices. Taken together, these steps can ensure Türkiye not only meets its 2050 water needs but also becomes a regional exemplar in the smart management of precious water resources.

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