LEGALISED ‘ROBBERY’
THOUSANDS BEING CHARGED FOR TURKISH WATER THEY ARE NOT RECEIVING
MUNICIPALITIES have been charging thousands of consumers for higher-priced Turkish water for over a year, even though they know they are not receiving it — in a situation described this week as “unfair”, a “complete mess” and “legalised robbery”.
Local authorities confirmed the uniform tariff and claimed they were legally bound to charge the same rates regardless of whether consumers were being supplied Turkish water — priced at up to 7TL a tonne since 2016 — or from local reserves, which used to cost just 2TL to 2.50TL per tonne.
Those still not receiving the Turkish supply, 30 months after the tap was turned out to pump frsh water 80km through an undersea pipeline from Turkey, include Çatalköy, Bellapais, Edremit, parts of Karaman and central Alsancak.
In comments echoed by other mayors, Girne’s Nidai Güngördü told Cyprus Today they were unable to do anything other than charge a “blanket tariff” for water, and it was up to the government to “take action to address this great injustice”.
Leading economist Göksel Saydam said the situation was “unfair” but not illegal, and questioned why consumers had not reacted, commenting: “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.”
He said it was up to hitherto “passive” government to act, commenting: “If the government has the will to address the issue they could tell the councils that their water tariff is causing an erosion of people’s purchasing power through overpricing. The government could sit down and work on the water prices . . . It’s [their] responsibility to ensure people’s fair access to this resource.”
While a government consultant called the situation a “complete mess”, Consumers’ Association chairman Hasan Yılmaz Işık said thousands of consumers were being “cheated”.
“There are only two words to describe this injustice: legalised robbery.”
IT WAS pledged as the end to North Cyprus’s water woes. But far from bringing the promised constant supply of fresh, clean water to all via a 80km undersea pipeline from Turkey, the waters are decidedly muddy — with thousands still to be connected to the Turkish supply despite paying for it.
Two-and-a-half years after visiting President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan gave a ceremonial start to Ankara’s ambitious “Project of the Century” project, set to pump 75 million cubic metres to drought-hit North Cyprus annually, discrepancies between local delivery and charging — exposed by Cyprus Today — are being described as a “disgrace”, a “great injustice” and “legalised robbery”.
Areas above Girne, Çatalköy, Bellapais, Beşparmak village, Edremit, parts of Karaman and central Alsancak are among those yet to receive Turkish water, but all users are paying the higher charges set in 2016 at around double the previous tariff.
Municipal leaders confirmed to this newspaper in February that “thousands” were still not connected.
This week the authorities, which are charged 2.30TL per tonne for the supply and sell it on at a price, set individually by each, confirmed that those thousands were nonetheless being charged the higher rate, but deny any blame, saying they have no ability to charge consumers differently, according to their water supply.
Girne Mayor Nidai Güngördü said: “It is with great regret through no fault of our own, that we have to implement a blanket tariff on water rates.
“Girne itself is receiving Turkish water, but certain quarters of villages located on mountain slopes and highlands . . . are not . . . for technical reasons ranging from lack of water pressure [to reach higher ground], to not having sufficient pumps and electricity issues.
“However, we are under a statutory obligation to implement our water charges ‘regulation’ and are unable to carve up the water tariffs according to areas, villages and individual streets, based on who is or is not receiving [Turkish] water.”
Mr Güngördü said supply and pricing was down to “an agreement between Turkey and the TRNC as two states” and the issue was “not our fault and is a matter beyond [municipalities]”.
“One regulation applies to the whole municipality. This is the law. We are also disappointed but there is nothing that we can do.
“There was supposed to be a transitional period when Turkish water had arrived. Two-and-a-half years later we have areas that still aren’t receiving this water, but we have had to enforce the new tariffs. The government needs to take action to address this great injustice.”
Esentepe Mayor Cemal Erdoğan spoke of “urgency” in the need to address the issue, saying: “Turkish water is being given to Esentepe, Karaağaç, Bahçeli and Alagadi.
“However, due to pressure problems, we are unable to give this water to Beşparmak village. We are however forced to charge everyone 4.50TL per tonne.”
Challenged that this meant consumers paying for something they were not receiving, he said: “We aren’t allowed legally to charge consumers different tariffs based on whether they are receiving local water or the water from Turkey. There just isn’t a legal framework for this.”
Mr Erdoğan had already been in hot water with outraged local residents in 2016 when he wrote to those in areas outside central Esentepe demanding 2,000TL towards new pipelines connecting them to the mains supply, plus an additional 1,000TL plus KDV for water meters.
Alsancak Mayor Fırat Ataser said four of his municipality’s six depots were being filled by the Turkish water, and added: “Only the centre of Alsancak is not receiving Turkish water. This is because there is no link to the respective depots. Other areas are not affected.”
He also confirmed that all were being charged the higher tariff because they “cannot
legally depart from the obligarge tion to charge everyone
Municipality water pricing is already in the sights of new Agriculture and Natural Resources Minister Erkut Şahali, who has decried “20 difing ferent prices be charged by 28 municipalities” despite the TRNC-Turkish protocol on the issue providing for the TRNC “to have a single nationwide
“It seems it has become necessary for us to implement the final project concerning water management . .. and to re-price the water,” he said, adding: “In that pricing will be included the need to fund facilities, renewal of the network and for water to be supplied [on an unin- terrupted basis].”
Calls for a “blanket price” for water have been backed by Büyükkonuk Mayor Ahmet Sennaroğlu who said: “It is my belief that there needs to be a [single] nationwide price, irrespective of whether one lives in Lefkoşa, Girne or the Karpaz.”
Deputy parliamentary Speaker Zorlu Töre acknowledged “major complaints” from the public about “too expensive” water, and said: “Some municipalities are charging between 5TL and 6TL per tonne. This needs to be addressed.”
Neither Mr Şahali nor senior Water Department officials could be reached for comment this week, but Prime Ministry consultant Erkan Tekel told this newspaper the issue was “a complete mess”.
However he added: “A municipality cannot be expected to charge ‘x’ quarter differently to ‘y’ quarter. The municipality will implement its own water rate equally for all of its residents.”