The Drinking Water Basin of Istanbul Turned into a Garbage Dump!

The scene that emerged at the Environmental Festival, which was held in Büyükçekmece to increase environmental awareness for a more environmentally friendly society, was terrifying.

Tons of plastic waste collected in the cleaning that carried out around Büyükçekmece Lake, one of the most important drinking water basins of Istanbul, revealed that drinking water is in danger. 

It Took Hours to Collect Tons of Garbage

The Environment Festival organized by Büyükçekmece Municipality brought together hundreds of environmental volunteers.

Within the scope of the event, cleaning was carried out around Büyükçekmece Lake. The scene that emerged in the cleaning, in which hundreds of environmentalists from 7 to 70 participated, made people react against. It took hours to collect the plastic waste and garbage left by the citizens who came to the lake shore for picnic and fishing.

“No one will be allowed enter the absolute protection area of the Büyükçekmece lake basin”

Seeing the scene in the drinking water basin where tons of waste is collected, Büyükçekmece Mayor Dr. Hasan Akgün reacted harshly.

Explaining that no one will be allowed to enter the absolute protection area of the Büyükçekmece lake basin, which is one of the drinking water sources of 16 million people and provides 100 million cubic meters of water to Istanbul, Mayor Akgün continued his speech as: “We have 32 kilometers of lake shore. Imagine that all of these plastics will be submerged under water. Our citizens made these. Thousands of plastic bags and bottles will remain under the water, and we, as the people of Istanbul, will drink this water. From now on, no one will be able to enter the Büyükçekmece lake basin for a picnic. Together with the İSKİ General Manager Raif Mermutlu, İSKİ Basin Protection Department, Metropolitan Municipality Environmental Protection Department and Büyükçekmece Environmental Protection Directorate, we will protect Büyükçekmece Lake, where the people of Istanbul will drink cleanly.

“Clean Environment, Clean World is Our Right”

Surprised by the scenery they saw in the Büyükçekmece lake basin, the environmental volunteers expressed their reactions as:

Berke Ayvaz: We came here with the hope that we will find less garbage and it will be finished soon. But unfortunately, with the activities of human beings, garbage has increased considerably. The last time I was here, there wasn't that much garbage. But thanks to our teams, we started to collect quickly.

Ceren Ata: Today is Environment Day, we are here for the environment. The Büyükçekmece Municipality invited us all for cleaning. We are unhappy because there are cigarette butts, garbage, and plastic containers everywhere. I hope no one throws their trash anymore. Clean environment, clean world is our right.

Onur Maral: I am here today on behalf of environmental pollution. Many living things like fish suffer from them. We thank the municipality and friends. As we focused on garbage, we realized how much garbage there is. Although there are about one hundred and fifty people here, unfortunately there is a lot of garbage. It must have been waiting to be collected for days.

Plaque for environmental volunteers

Within the scope of the Environment Festival held after the cleaning activity in Büyükçekmece Lake, Mayor Akgün presented plaque to the tourism professional and environmental volunteer Kadir Ruhi Uğur, who prepared the project of the event, and to the neighborhood leaders, site administrators and businesses that collected the most solid waste, electronic waste, packaging waste and most batteries.