At present, 112 billion cubic meters (bcm), or 40%, of the country's freshwater flow is suffering from serious leakage-related losses in networks and junctions before reaching homes, said professor Ertuğrul Ağırbaş from the Faculty of Fisheries, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University (RTEU).

To combat the issue, the "Drought Management Plan" has been prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to prevent water scarcity and take early measures against drought in the eastern Black Sea basin. With the management plan to be formed by the research and determination of scientists from the Black Sea provinces, the scheme aims to manage water resources and supplies and prevent the threat of future drought and water scarcity, Ağırbaş said.

"People talk about taking shorter showers, but if you ponder on the volume of water being wasted, it’s quite alarming," Ağırbaş pointed out, adding that it is necessary to act consciously against drought that threatens the ecosystem, biodiversity, agriculture and human life.

"When we look at the eastern Black Sea region and Rize in particular, loss and leakage rates in the districts are high. For example, in the Ardeşen and Çamlıhemşin districts, the leakage rate is between 85%-90%, while the Çayeli district is considered among the top-rated districts when it comes to water conservation. However, the ministry aims to reduce these figures to 25%," he said.

"Water leaks pose serious challenges to homes and properties, and water is an extremely precious resource. As our population grows and climate change increasingly affects lives, we need to protect our environment more than ever, and reducing leakage is an important part of water conservation and making it resilient for the future," he added.

According to his research, if we are able to prevent such losses, the country's drinking and irrigation needs can be sufficed for a period of five years.