Science Board Established for Lake Sapanca

Sapanca Lake Workshop

The Sakarya Metropolitan Municipality Water and Sewerage Administration (SASKİ) has launched a new era of “Common Sense and Scientific Management” in order to protect Sapanca Lake, Sakarya’s main source of drinking water, and to ensure its sustainability.

As a result of a broadly attended workshop, a 20-member “Science Board” was formed to guide future projects concerning the lake with scientific data. Sapanca Lake will be preserved and carried into the future not only through infrastructure investments and alternative water resources but also through academic insight.

Common Sense

The workshop organized for the future of the lake brought together representatives from 11 universities, 3 ministries, 7 municipalities, 8 public institutions, 9 private sector representatives, and 3 non-governmental organizations. With the participation of 300 people, including attendees, a comprehensive and multidimensional perspective was developed for the protection of Sapanca Lake.

Sapanca Lake

45 Problems, 45 Solutions

During the workshop, the lake was examined in detail at 9 separate working tables. Each table prepared an end-of-day report identifying 5 critical issues within its field and proposing 5 corresponding solutions. The academic ideas and solution proposals presented by the table chairs will be implemented by SASKİ in the short and medium term and transformed into concrete projects.

Sapanca Lake Workshop

Science Board to Provide Consultancy for the Lake

Following the workshop, a 20-member Science Board was established. Composed of expert academics in their respective fields, the board will not be limited to the workshop but will continue to play an active role throughout the process. The Science Board will provide consultancy for projects to be developed for Sapanca Lake and ensure that all steps taken are based on scientific data.