Ankara Mayor Yavaş: “No Water Cuts, Disinformation to Face Prosecution”
Ankara, January 14, 2026 – Ankara Metropolitan Municipality (ABB) Mayor Mansur Yavaş held a press conference today, stating that there are currently no water cuts in Ankara, and all households have access to running water. Yavaş also announced that legal action would be taken against individuals and groups spreading disinformation regarding the city’s water supply.
Mayor Yavaş highlighted the severity of the drought affecting Ankara, emphasizing the global climate crisis’s impact on the region. “Rain falls, but it doesn’t penetrate the soil. Snow falls, but it doesn’t fill the dams. Evaporation increases, groundwater levels recede, and our resources are rapidly depleting. This global situation affects Elazığ, Kayseri, Konya, Malatya, various parts of our country, and of course, Ankara,” Yavaş stated.
He further elaborated on the city’s dire hydrological situation, noting that Ankara is experiencing its driest period in history. “In 1994, the annual per capita water amount in Ankara was 41 cubic meters. In 2008, it was 45 cubic meters. By 2025, this figure dropped to 19 cubic meters. This means Ankara has become quite impoverished in terms of water,” he explained, presenting data rather than estimates.
Yavaş stressed the challenge of managing a city of nearly 6 million people with dwindling water resources. He recalled his previous warning about Ankara having 200 days of water supply, a period during which significant conservation efforts were made. He criticized politicians who he claimed were spreading misinformation, suggesting that existing water could not be delivered to taps.
Prosecution for Disinformation
Mayor Yavaş explicitly addressed the issue of disinformation. “Regarding the disinformation in recent days, publications were made on social media yesterday. False news claiming ‘there is a water shortage in Ankara,’ followed by news about Hıdırlık Hill and transportation, constantly trying to keep this on the agenda. They are trying to create news that suggests we have done nothing for 7 years,” he asserted.
He reiterated his previous call, asking, “What is this rush? Currently, water is flowing from all taps in Ankara, friends. There are no cuts whatsoever. What is the rush? This smear campaign must have a purpose. We know what that purpose is, and they will follow up by saying, ‘Ankara is facing an epidemic. People are washing clothes in basins. The city is out of water.’ Be prepared for such fake news from now on.”
Yavaş warned that everyone, including those speaking out and district officials, would be prosecuted for disinformation and creating panic among the public. “We see how much water all of them use. We will prosecute all of them for disinformation and creating panic among the public,” he declared.
Politicians Accused of Lack of Water Conservation
The Mayor also criticized certain politicians for turning the issue into a polemic. “When I watch television, I see some politicians and commentators making insulting remarks. I wondered if their water was really cut off. We even have recordings of some politicians, which we are not releasing yet, but we will share with the public if necessary,” Yavaş said.
He pointed out that some of these outspoken politicians continue to use an average of 20 cubic meters of water, showing no signs of conservation. “That politician who screams and tweets, we saw that he uses a full 37 tons (cubic meters) monthly at home and hasn’t saved even 1 ton. Probably watering his garden,” Yavaş commented, suggesting that if such individuals leave their taps open to cause water shortages for Ankara residents, they would face consequences.
Water Requests Rejected by State Agencies
Yavaş revealed that requests for water allocation from Sarıyar Dam in 2021 were deemed unsuitable. Last year, numerous requests were made to the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) but received no positive response. “In September, we again wrote to the State Hydraulic Works. Water was requested from Koyunbaba Dam, and finally, I called the Minister and presented the situation to him. I said, ‘Mr. Minister, Ankara is running out of water. There is a large amount of water in Koyunbaba. At least give us water from there for the people of Ankara to use,'” Yavaş recounted.
He added that the State Hydraulic Works responded, “We can only provide 100 thousand cubic meters of water for 3 months.” The reason given was agricultural irrigation. “We will get 100 thousand cubic meters of water from there to supplement, but Ankara’s daily water need is close to 1.5 million cubic meters,” Yavaş concluded, highlighting the significant disparity between the requested and provided amounts.
