Türkiye drafts water law with jail terms for groundwater pollution and illegal wells
A draft water law prepared by Türkiye's Agriculture and Forestry Ministry would introduce criminal penalties, large fines and new efficiency rules as water stress intensifies.
Türkiye is preparing a sweeping new Water Law aimed at tightening control over water use as the country faces mounting water stress and repeated droughts. The source says the draft was prepared by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and is now in the final stage of technical review. Authorities expect it to move through parliament before COP31, which Türkiye is due to host in November.
The toughest provisions target groundwater pollution and unauthorized drilling. Under the draft, people who contaminate groundwater, open unlicensed wells or carry out unauthorized drilling could face prison terms of one to three years as well as significant judicial fines. Equipment used in those activities would also be subject to seizure.
The bill goes well beyond criminal penalties. It introduces a broad set of administrative sanctions designed to curb excessive and unregulated water use. Entities that fail to obtain the required green and turquoise water-efficiency certificates could be fined from 100,000 Turkish liras up to 5 million liras. That makes the law not only an environmental measure but also a strong economic lever on water users.
Municipalities are another major target. Local administrations that fail to reduce water losses in drinking water systems to the required levels would face annual financial penalties calculated on a per-capita basis. They could also be fined if they do not implement drought-resistant landscaping across at least 30% of urban green areas.
At the same time, the draft includes incentives. Public authorities that establish and operate drinking-water treatment plants in line with national standards would receive electricity discounts of up to 50%. By presidential decree, that support could be increased to 100%, creating a direct incentive for investment in water infrastructure.
The political push reflects worsening resource pressure. The source explicitly links the new law to climate change, population growth and inefficient water use. Recurrent droughts in recent years have already lowered reservoir levels, especially in Ankara and in the western province of Izmir. For agriculture, utilities and industry, the message is that water management in Türkiye is moving from a general environmental concern into a much stricter resource-policy framework.