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“More than 800 million people do not have access to enough healthy water”
March, 2025…
In his statement on World Water Day, Yaşabey Kalebaşı, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Packaged Water Producers (SUDER), stated that 70 per cent of the world’s fresh water supply is in glaciers and emphasised that urgent action should be taken against melting. Kalebaşı emphasised that more than half of the world’s food production is at risk, pointing out that wrong practices in agriculture and industry use groundwater inefficiently and pollute it while consuming it.
According to Yaşabey Kalebaşı, Chairman of the Association of Packaged Water Producers (SUDER), over 800 million people around the world are currently being supplied with unhealthy water. To address this issue, he stresses the importance of transitioning to modern irrigation methods that use water efficiently and responsibly. The theme for this year’s World Water Day, recognized on March 22 every year, was “Protection of Glaciers.” The United Nations (UN) highlights the shrinking of our frozen world and the unpredictable nature of the water cycle. They also note that melting glaciers contribute to floods, droughts, landslides, rising sea levels, and damage to ecosystems.
Regarding the protection of glaciers, Kalebaşı states that glaciers store about 170,000 km3 of ice and approximately 70% of the world’s freshwater. However, glaciers are losing mass at unprecedented rates, leading to an increase in natural disasters and droughts. This not only threatens fresh water resources but also poses a threat to agricultural lands and settlements worldwide.
Kalebaşı further emphasizes the impact of the water crisis, citing a risk to over half of the world’s food production by 2050. Drying or unstable trends in water availability are already observed in regions where approximately three billion people live. Moreover, the water crisis may result in an average global GDP loss of 8% over the next 25 years. To prevent social conflicts in the future and protect world peace, immediate solutions must be implemented to address the water crisis.
Kalebaşı also highlights the importance of combatting ineffective irrigation methods and improving water quality. Currently, approximately 30 million hectares of agricultural land, inhabited by over 800 million people, are irrigated with unsafe water. To secure the future of water and agriculture, modern irrigation techniques should be adopted. Furthermore, stricter regulations are needed to prevent industrial enterprises from depleting groundwater resources and polluting groundwater.
Regarding water conservation in Türkiye, Kalebaşı urges urgent measures to prevent the country from becoming water-stressed. Currently, the country has 1312 cubic meters of usable water per capita, which is expected to decrease further in the coming years. Given the expected population growth and the country’s susceptibility to climate change, drought poses a significant threat. Kalebaşı stresses the need to protect underground water resources, review water management practices, and eliminate unscientific water waste practices.
Lastly, referencing a study conducted by Istanbul University’s Faculty of Water Sciences, Kalebaşı reveals that millions of cubic meters of drinking water are wasted in Türkiye every year due to inefficient water purification devices. The research demonstrates that for every litre of water obtained, purification devices produce five liters of wastewater. Additionally, 80% of these devices cause a significant loss in the mineral content of water. To protect both public health and limited water resources, it is crucial to prevent the waste of water caused by the use of these treatment devices…
