The Head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye, Ambassador Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, who visited the plant in January 2024 together with the Ambassador of Belgium Paul Huynen (representing presidency of the Council of the EU), says: “The fact that technical parts of the plant were not damaged by the earthquake and its uninterrupted operation after the earthquakes is really pleasing for us. For the EU, infrastructure projects hold significant value, and we will continue supporting them in the earthquakes area.”

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Ambassadors visited the plant in January 2024

There are two advanced biological wastewater treatment plants, including one in the Elbistan district, built within the scope of IPA. “The water treated in the plant is discharged into Sır Dam Lake on the Ceyhan River. The water in the dam is cleaner and the ecosystem is healthier,” says Kahramanmaraş Metropolitan Municipality Kahramanmaraş Water and Sewerage Administration (KASKİ) General Manager Tahir Tekin.

Mustafa Demirciler, the Maraş Representative of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers, reflects: “As an environmental engineer, I can say that this EU-funded plant has significantly contributed to Kahramanmaraş. With the plant, the discharge of domestic wastewater and wastewater from small-scale industrial facilities such as dairy farms into the dam lake has been prevented. This has positively impacted the living organisms in the lake and, in the long term, the people living near the lake.”

Fishing is also carried out in a part of the lake. Taşkın Aydın, Fisheries and Aquaculture Branch Manager of Kahramanmaraş Provincial Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, states: “According to the stock determination by the General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) in December 2018, the annual catchable amount of fish was 190 t. It grew to 210 t according to the stock determination we made in December 2023.” The increase in the fish population can be considered an indicator of the recovery of the lake.

Şerife Kübra, who has lived near the facility in a container since the earthquakes, says: “There are no unpleasant odours in the vicinity, and the existence of the facility gives us confidence.”

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The plant met 46% of its own energy needs from renewable energy in 2023

Designed to serve 950 thousand people, the Kahramanmaraş Center Advanced Biological Waste Water Treatment Plant was built in 2018 within the scope of the EU’s Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for Türkiye. The EU provided 85% of financing. The plant supports renewable energy while treating wastewater in its biogas unit, and with solar panels. The plant met 46% of its own energy needs in 2023.

What is IPA?

The Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) is the means by which the EU has been supporting reforms in the enlargement region with financial and technical assistance since 2007. IPA funds build up the capacities of the beneficiaries throughout the accession process, resulting in progressive, positive developments in the enlargement region to which Türkiye belongs.

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