A chronic water shortage that plagued Kayapınar town in Batman’s Gercüş district for years has been resolved, thanks to a dual-pronged project that boosted water capacity while harnessing solar energy to achieve significant budget savings.

Under the leadership of Mayor Samir Özhan of the HÜDA PAR party, the municipality has implemented infrastructure improvements that have ended water cuts and created a more efficient and resilient system for the town's residents.

Mayor Özhan, who took office after the 2019 local elections, stated that his administration prioritized the town's urgent water issues. "When we took office, our town was receiving 25 tons of water per hour. By overhauling and renewing all our pumps, we increased the capacity to 60 tons. In this way, we have completely eliminated the water shortage in our town," he said.

The problem was particularly acute in the town's outer neighborhoods during the summer months, a issue the Mayor confirmed has now been permanently resolved.

Following the 2024 local elections, the municipality took a further innovative step by installing a Solar Energy System (GES) to power the water pumps. This move directly targeted one of the municipality's largest operational costs.

"The biggest expenses for municipalities are fuel and personnel salaries," Özhan explained. "We installed solar panels on our pumps to reduce fuel and energy costs. As a result, our electricity consumption decreased by 50%, and by 60% during the summer months."

He highlighted that the project not only generates revenue for the municipal budget but also ensures a consistent water supply, even during power outages.

The upgrades did not stop at energy efficiency. To complement the new system and guarantee an uninterrupted supply, the municipality drastically increased its water storage capacity.

"Previously, our water tank had a capacity of 170 tons. To make better use of solar energy, we increased this capacity to 500 tons," Mayor Özhan stated. "This allows us to provide uninterrupted water supply even during the summer. When our tanks are full, there is enough water for every household."

The successful resolution of this long-standing issue has been met with widespread appreciation from the residents of Kayapınar, who are now enjoying a reliable water supply for the first time in years. (ILKHA)