Water Under a Sea Bridge

Water Under a Sea Bridge. Turkey decided to lower the water with a sea bridge.

Mavi Boncuk |
One of the world’s largest water pipelines went on stream on Saturday, with the Turkish president turning the taps on the 80 kilometre-long project, that lies 250 metres below the Mediterranean. It supplies the Turkish Cypriots of northern Cyprus with water from Turkey’s Alakopru Dam, and has cost nearly 380 million euros. Cyprus lacks water resources of its own.

The Northern Cyprus Water Supply Project (Turkish: KKTC Su Temin Projesi) is an international water diversion project designed to supply water for drinking and irrigation from southern Turkey to Northern Cyprus via pipeline under Mediterranean Sea. As such, the project is unique in the world.Cyprus is short of surface water and groundwater due to inadequate rainfall. The project aims to supply Northern Cyprus with water from Turkey for a timespan of 50 years. Of the 75 million m³ water, 37.76 million m³ (50.3%) will be used for drinking purposes and the remaining part (49.7%) will be allocated for irrigation. Following the realization of the project, irrigated farming at an area of 4,824 ha (11,920 acres) in Mesaoria Plains, one of largest plains of the island, will help improve the standard of living in the region.

The Greek Cypriot South Cyprus decried the undersea pipeline carrying fresh water from Turkey to the Turkish Cypriot north, saying it aims to further cement Ankara’s grip on the ethnically-divided island. The Cypriot Foreign Ministry said that completion of the 66.5-mile (107-kilometer) pipeline violates international law, serves to “integrate” the north and to “augment Turkey’s influence and control over Cyprus.” Cyprus was split in 1974 when Turkey intervened after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Only Turkey recognizes a Turkish Cypriot declaration of independence and still maintains 35,000 troops in the north.