Halime Kızıl, who was born and raised in the Harran district of Şanlıurfa, is painting the wooden chairs on her veranda.
Thanks to the European Union’s (EU) project, she no longer has to worry about finding water to wash her hands. When she’s finished, she turns on the tap and enjoys the clean water that flows out.
Halime Kızıl has witnessed the profound transformation brought about by the new water network
Despite the years of weariness etched on her face, she smiles and shares how the EU has helped her hometown gain access to clean water:
“We used to endure long water cuts and wait for hours. Now, we have no problems. We always have water. God bless everyone who made this possible.”
In Harran, the construction of a new drinking water network has ensured reliable access to clean water
Hasan Alaş, also from Harran, echoes Kızıl’s sentiments and elaborates: “Our network was very old, and there wasn’t enough water for all the houses. We suffered a lot with the old system. Now, we are delighted with the new network. Our water supply is no longer cut off. God bless those who conceived and completed the project.”
İsa Özyavuz, the Head of the Imambakır neighbourhood, also confirms that there are no more water cuts in Harran.
Emin İzol, General Manager of SUŞKİ
EU project overcomes infrastructure challenges
Emin İzol, General Manager of the Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality Water and Sewerage Administration (SUŞKİ) says:
“Our 30-year-old network and 50-year-old water tank, built according to the technical possibilities of their times, had reached the end of their service lives and could no longer meet growing demand. We had to rely on tankers to deliver water to some households. Thanks to the EU project, all of this is now a thing of the past. Harran now enjoys a continuous and safe water supply. We are grateful to the EU for its support.”
Mr İzol is referring to the construction of the Harran drinking water network as part of the EU’s Municipal Resilience Facility (MRF) project in Türkiye.
The EU, the EIB, ILBANK, and the Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality have joined forces for the implementation of this project in Harran
The Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye, Ambassador-Designate Thomas Ossowski, stresses the importance of infrastructure projects in the provinces benefitting local communities:
“A community is more resilient when it has uninterrupted access to clean water. Therefore, the EU, the European Investment Bank (EIB), ILBANK, and Şanlıurfa Metropolitan Municipality have joined forces to build a better future for both refugees and their host communities. This project contributes by providing essential support and infrastructure to those most affected by the Syrian crisis. I am very happy to see the lives of the people of Harran improve, to see their satisfaction with the project.”
Ambassador-Designate Thomas Ossowski, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Türkiye
The MRF project is being implemented in Şanlıurfa, Gaziantep, Kilis, Adıyaman, and Hatay. It has achieved many successes in these five provinces: Around 325,000 people, including 90,000 persons under temporary protection, benefit from additional or improved water supply and sanitation services that meet EU standards. This project has also created 2,300 new jobs.
What is the MRF project?
The Municipal Resilience Facility (MRF) project is an initiative funded by the EU Regional Trust Fund in response to the Syrian crisis, known as the MADAD Fund. This project aims to help address the increased municipal infrastructure needs caused by the influx of refugees into Türkiye. The EU has provided €72 million in grant funding to enhance the resilience of refugees and host communities in Türkiye by supporting the municipalities and utility companies in providing essential water and sanitation services.
