The Afrin Dam and Transmission Line, which will solve the drinking and utility water problem of Kilis by 2050, was attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with a live link from Vahdettin Mansion, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. It was put into service with the participation of Bekir Pakdemirli from the dam area.
Wishing good luck for the dam and the transmission line in his speech here, Erdoğan stated that the dam, which has a water storage volume of approximately 38 million cubic meters, was put into service as a vital investment at this time when the country is facing the threat of drought.
Erdogan noted that with the completion of the 19-kilometer transmission line, which will provide the city with 45 million cubic meters of drinking water annually, this problem of Kilis has now been completely resolved.
Expressing that Kilis, both with its own citizens and with its guests more than its population, will never be thirsty again, President Erdoğan continued his speech as follows:
“I would like to congratulate our Ministry, our institutions, everyone from engineers to workers, who contributed to the acquisition of our dam and transmission line, which has a total investment of 500 million, to our country. Not only that, we also started the construction of a modern treatment plant in Kilis. Hopefully, when the treatment plant is completed this year, our Kilis brothers will have access to both sufficient and clean drinking water. In addition, in the past 19 years, we have brought 6 drinking water facilities, 2 dams, 3 ponds, 5 irrigation facilities, and 9 flood protection facilities to Kilis. Sustainable water resources management, which we come to the presence of our nation with a new investment almost every day, is gaining importance in our country as well as in the world.
We should never forget the fact that we have to use the limited water resources we have as a country in the most efficient way. The way to do this is to collect water through dams and use it where and when it is needed. For this purpose, we have built 19 dams, 276 ponds, 600 hydroelectric power plants, 423 irrigation facilities, 590 drinking water facilities, and 1457 waste water facilities with an investment of 262 billion liras in the last 21 years. In total, we had a water storage volume of 45 billion cubic meters. If it were not for these investments, which we have realized through our General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, we could have experienced serious difficulties, God forbid."
“OUR INVESTMENTS CONTINUE ON THE 90 DRINKING WATER PROJECT”
Noting that investments in 18 drinking water projects that will provide 1,8 billion cubic meters of water to a population of 90 million are still continuing, President Erdoğan continued as follows:
“In order to increase the productivity of our lands and to meet the drinking water need in our settlements, we have brought our country to an important level, which will overcome all the difficulties that come before us. We know that we still have a long way to go, especially in irrigation investments. However, we are also aware of the importance of the infrastructure we have established so far. Hopefully, we will start to reap the fruits of our investments, especially by completing the irrigation investments in our GAP region quickly with a rational project management. The biggest advantage of our country is that it has well-trained, knowledgeable and qualified human resources. We are determined to make the best use of the opportunities we have at this time when the world is entering a new phase in water management, as in every other field.”
“WE MADE OUR COUNTRY AN IMPORTANT FOOD SUPPLIER”
Stating that they have determined the basic needs of humanity such as food, shelter and security as the principles of their service policy, Erdoğan said that by constantly increasing their support to the agricultural sector, they not only meet the needs of the citizens, but also make the country an important food exporter.
Erdoğan wished the Kilis Upper Afrin Dam and Potable Water Transmission Line to be beneficial and congratulated those who contributed to bringing the work to the country.
“IN THE LAST 3 THREE YEARS, WE HAVE INVESTED OVER 41 BILLION LIRA IN WATER”
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Bekir Pakdemirli Pakdemirli reminded that they declared 2021 as the "Year of the Move in Water and Irrigation Investments" and said:
“Thanks to the rapid decision-making mechanism of the Presidential Government System, we have invested more than 3 billion liras in water in the last 41 years. We have completed a total of 152 facilities, including 225 dams and ponds, 46 irrigation facilities, 402 drinking water facilities and 1000 flood protection facilities. We started the first water council in the history of the Republic on 29 March. This year, we aim to open approximately 1,6 million decares of land for irrigation. In addition, in order not to waste even a drop of our water resources, we have started to build underground dams as well as above-ground storage facilities. As of now, we have 29 underground storages ready. We aim to increase this number to 50 by the end of the year, and to reach 2023 by 150.”
Stating that they are proud to open two important facilities in Kilis, Pakdemirli said, “Kilis Upper Afrin Dam has a water storage volume that is 38 times the storage volume of Seve Dam, which is of great importance for Kilis, with 2 million cubic meters of water to be stored. With the dam, 19 million cubic meters of drinking water is provided to Kilis city center annually, equal to the storage volume of Seve Dam.” said.
“WE GUARANTEED KİLİS' DRINKING WATER NEED UP TO 2050”
Explaining the importance of the project, Pakdemirli said:
“With the Upper Afrin Dam, which is the largest and most important investment in drinking and potable water storage in Kilis, we will have met a large part of the drinking and potable water need in Kilis in recent years. Since 2019, approximately 30 million cubic meters of water has been supplied to the city from sources other than the Upper Afrin Dam, where we have just completed the transmission line, in other words, approximately one-third of the capacity of Kayacık Dam, which serves to irrigate 200 thousand decares of land in Gaziantep, from other sources.”
Stating that the dam cost 300 million liras, Pakdemirli said, “When we include the Seve Dam, Yeniyapan, Narlıca Springs and wells that we have put into service before, together with the Upper Afrin Dam, we have also guaranteed the drinking water need of Kilis until 2050.” used the phrase.
Stating that the Upper Afrin Dam Transmission Line was built at a cost of 200 million liras, Pakdemirli said:
“A total of 42 thousand 850 meters, in other words, the distance between Kilis and Gaziantep with a bird flight length of approximately 19 million cubic meters of additional water will be transferred annually from the Upper Afrin Dam to our province of Kilis. Our work continues at the 52nd stage drinking water treatment plant with a daily capacity of 2 thousand cubic meters, the construction of which we started in March. Hopefully, we will complete the facility, which will cost 60 million liras, before the end of this year. Thus, when the Upper Afrin Project is completed, the Church will have invested a total of 765 million liras.”
OPENING CEREMONY
After the speeches, President Erdoğan said, “Because of this magnificent investment, we say 'May your life be as holy as water' and press the buttons.” said.
After Erdoğan, who wished the dam to be beneficial, said “O Allah, Bismillah”, the buttons to open the Upper Afrin Dam were pressed.
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