Regulation on the Quality and Treatment of Waters Supplied as Drinking Water

CHAPTER ONE: Purpose, Scope, Basis, and Definitions

Purpose

ARTICLE 1 – (Amended: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) (1) The purpose of this Regulation is to determine the principles, quality criteria, treatment classes to be determined for the use of surface waters (such as drainage, stream, lake, pond, dam, seawater) and groundwater (such as well, spring, catchment, tunnel, gallery) that are supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking water, and to specify the determination of treatment efficiency as well as the design and operation of drinking water treatment plants.

Scope

ARTICLE 2 – (1) This Regulation covers the quality category of surface and groundwater supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking water, the treatment classes to be applied according to the category of these waters, the sampling and analysis frequencies for parameters to be monitored in these waters, and the determination, design, and operation of the treatment efficiency of drinking water treatment plants.

Basis

ARTICLE 3 – (1) This Regulation has been prepared based on Article 421 of the Presidential Decree No. 1 on the Organization of the Presidency, published in the Official Gazette dated 10/7/2018 and numbered 30474.

Definitions

ARTICLE 4 – (1) In this Regulation, the following terms mean;

  • a) Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry,
  • b) (Amended: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Drinking and utility water: Waters used generally for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and other domestic purposes, as well as for the preparation, processing, storage, and marketing of foodstuffs and other products for human consumption, regardless of their origin, whether in their original state or treated, obtained either from the source or the distribution network, and meeting the parameter values specified in Annex-1 of the Regulation on Waters Intended for Human Consumption published in the Official Gazette dated 17/2/2005 and numbered 25730, and not offered for commercial sale,
  • c) Administration: The institutions and organizations listed below,
  • d) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Simple physical treatment: Treatment process performed by physical separation using simple filtration systems,
  • e) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Disinfection: Treatment process that destroys or inactivates microorganisms in water by physical or chemical means,
  • f) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Physical treatment: Treatment process performed by physical separation processes such as screening, sedimentation, and filtration based on the physical properties of particles in water (particle size, viscosity, density, etc.),
  • g) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Drinking water treatment plant: Facility where various treatment processes are used to bring the quality of surface and groundwater to drinking water standards,
  • ğ) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Advanced treatment: Treatment process performed by processes such as adsorption, advanced oxidation, ion exchange, membrane filtration to remove physical, chemical, and microbiological content that cannot be removed by conventional treatment processes,
  • h) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Chemical treatment: Treatment process performed by chemical addition such as coagulation, flocculation, and disinfection based on the chemical properties of particles in water,
  • ı) State Hydraulic Works General Directorate according to the Presidential Decree No. 4 on the Organization of Ministries, Related, Affiliated Institutions and Other Organizations published in the Official Gazette dated 15/7/2018 and numbered 30479 and the Law on the Supply of Drinking, Utility and Industrial Water to Settlements with Municipal Organization dated 3/7/1968 and numbered 1053,
  • ıı) Metropolitan municipalities according to Article 7, paragraph 1, subparagraph (r) and provisional Article 2 of the Metropolitan Municipality Law No. 5216 dated 10/7/2004 and water and sewerage administrations affiliated to metropolitan municipalities according to Article 2, paragraph 1, subparagraph (a) and additional Article 5 of the Law on the Establishment and Duties of Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration General Directorate No. 2560 dated 20/11/1981,
  • ııı) Municipalities according to Article 15, paragraph 1, subparagraph (e) of the Municipality Law No. 5393 dated 3/7/2005,
  • ıv) Provincial special administrations according to Article 6, paragraph 1, subparagraph (b) of the Provincial Special Administration Law No. 5302 dated 22/2/2005,
  • ç) Guideline value: The values separately determined for A1, A2, and A3 categories of waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water.

CHAPTER TWO: General Provisions

General obligations

ARTICLE 5 – (1) The Ministry determines the quality categories of waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water by using the analysis results of quality parameters listed in Annex-1. The Administration is obliged to perform treatment and monitor treatment efficiency as specified in Article 6 according to the quality category determined by the Ministry.

(2) The Administration takes all necessary measures to ensure that waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water comply with the values and principles specified in Articles 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Quality categories and treatment classes

ARTICLE 6 – (1) Waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water are divided into three different categories as A1, A2, and A3 according to the guideline values given for all parameters in Annex-1, and the following treatment classes are determined for each category. The quality categories of drinking and utility waters are;

  • a) A1: Waters that become drinkable after simple physical treatment and disinfection,
  • b) A2: Waters that become drinkable after physical treatment, chemical treatment, and disinfection,
  • c) A3: Waters that become drinkable after physical treatment, chemical treatment, advanced treatment, and disinfection.

(2) The use of waters containing physical, chemical, and microbiological pollution exceeding the limit values given for the A3 category as drinking and utility water is not preferred. However, if no alternative water source of better quality is available, these waters can be treated with advanced treatment processes that raise the water quality characteristics to suitable drinking water quality standards and used for drinking water supply.

(3) After treatment in the treatment classes given according to categories of waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water, it is essential that the final water meets the drinking water standards specified in the Regulation on Waters Intended for Human Consumption. For parameters not included in that Regulation, the outlet water quality must be brought to the A1 class specified in Annex-1.

(4) The design principles and standards of drinking water treatment plants to be constructed or revised for the treatment of waters obtained from surface and groundwater sources are determined by the Ministry by notification.

(5) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) In cases where groundwater of A1 quality category in terms of quality is supplied from outside settlements, the transmission of water treated only by disinfection without simple physical treatment due to the unpolluted nature of the water source to settlements is sufficient, provided that the provisions of the Regulation on Waters Intended for Human Consumption are met. For the application of this provision, the Administration supplying water from groundwater with the above-mentioned characteristics applies to the Ministry with groundwater analysis results to be exempted from physical treatment and implements this application upon receiving appropriate approval. However, wells located in regions where changes in groundwater quality are likely due to tectonic features such as fault line breaks carrying earthquake risk based on the technical evaluation of the water-using administration, and wells with a possibility of pollution due to physical conditions, are excluded from this physical treatment exemption and require both physical treatment and disinfection.

(6) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) When water is supplied from wells, springs, catchments, tunnels, galleries, and similar structures in rural and/or karstic settlements where infiltration is likely, disinfection with chlorine is performed after UV disinfection.

Process approval

ARTICLE 7 – (1) The procedures and principles for process approval of newly constructed or revised drinking water treatment plants are determined by the Ministry by circular. Approval of the treatment process parts of the application projects of drinking water treatment plants is made by the Ministry.

Treatment efficiency

ARTICLE 8 – (1) The inlet and outlet water of drinking water treatment plants are monitored according to the parameters listed in Annex-1. The treatment efficiency of these parameters is calculated as the removal percentage for each parameter. If the outlet waters of the drinking water treatment plant cannot be brought to the drinking water standards specified in the Regulation on Waters Intended for Human Consumption, necessary revision works are carried out in the plant to increase the efficiency of treatment processes. Parameters not included in the Regulation on Waters Intended for Human Consumption must meet the parameter values given for the A1 class in the table in Annex-1.

(2) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) The procedures and principles regarding the training and certification of technical personnel to be employed to ensure the efficient operation of drinking water treatment plants are determined by the Ministry.

Energy efficiency

ARTICLE 8/A – (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) (1) Electrical energy is used efficiently in drinking water treatment plants. During the project phase of drinking water treatment plants, hydraulic planning should be well done, and factors such as material lifespan, price, and operating cost should be considered to select treatment processes and equipment that consume less energy while meeting drinking water standards. The processes used in operating plants are monitored in terms of energy and treatment efficiency, and whether energy consumption is within acceptable ranges is determined. Necessary process revisions and equipment changes are made for energy efficiency, and the operating personnel are trained.

(2) For the electricity consumption of drinking water treatment plants and other facilities integrated with these plants that cannot operate independently to be evaluated under the industrial subscriber group, a document certifying that the facility is a drinking water treatment plant, that the other facilities are integrated with the treatment plant and cannot operate independently, and that they are connected integrally with the drinking water treatment plant is issued by the Ministry upon application by the Administration operating the drinking water treatment plant. The Administration submits information about the characteristics and location of the drinking water treatment plant and related other facilities to the Ministry during the application.

Improvement of drinking water sources

ARTICLE 9 – (1) To protect and improve drinking water sources in terms of quality and quantity and to reduce drinking water treatment costs, a drinking-utility water basin protection plan is prepared for each drinking-utility water basin in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation on the Protection of Drinking-Utility Water Basins published in the Official Gazette dated 28/10/2017 and numbered 30224. Until the drinking-utility water basin protection plan is prepared, measures are taken in accordance with the provisions of the mentioned regulation.

(2) When drinking water is supplied from groundwater, water drilling wells to be constructed are built according to the provisions of the DSİ Groundwater Technical Regulation published in the Official Gazette dated 23/6/1972 and numbered 14224.

(3) When water is supplied from wells, springs, catchments, tunnels, galleries, and similar structures, protection areas and conditions are determined according to the Regulation on the Protection of Groundwater Against Pollution and Degradation published in the Official Gazette dated 7/4/2012 and numbered 28257 and the Communiqué on the Determination of Protection Areas of Aquifers and Springs Used for Drinking Water Supply published in the Official Gazette dated 10/10/2012 and numbered 28437. All measures defined in the relevant legislation are taken to protect these water sources.

CHAPTER THREE: Principles Regarding Monitoring and Determination of Categories

Analysis methods and analysis frequencies

ARTICLE 10 – (1) National/international accepted analysis methods are used for all parameters with guideline values specified in Annex-1.

(2) It is essential that sampling from waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking water is spread throughout the year to fully reflect the water quality. Sampling and analysis frequency is determined according to the Regulation on Monitoring of Surface Waters and Groundwaters published in the Official Gazette dated 11/2/2014 and numbered 28910.

(Added sentence: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) During feasibility studies where groundwater supply is planned, if two analyses performed according to the parameters in Annex-1 fall within the A1 class, no new analysis is required. Quality monitoring of these groundwater sources continues in accordance with relevant legislation after commissioning.

(3) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) If there are analyses conducted within the last five years before the publication of this Regulation in water supply projects under feasibility studies, these analyses are taken into account and at least one additional analysis of the parameters in Annex-1 is performed.

(4) (Added: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) During the operation of groundwater wells supplying drinking water, monitoring is performed under this Regulation, and if the same groundwater body boundaries are maintained, the well with the highest water withdrawal in each district representing the province and district centers is determined as the sampling point, and drinking water quality analyses are performed accordingly.

Principles regarding sampling and analysis

ARTICLE 11 – (1) It is essential to comply with the Regulation on Monitoring of Surface Waters and Groundwaters and the Communiqué on Sampling from Surface Waters, Groundwaters, and Sediments and Biological Sampling published in the Official Gazette dated 21/2/2015 and numbered 29274 when sampling from waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water.

(2) The sampling location for determining the quality category; if the drinking water treatment plant has not yet been constructed, is the planned water intake point of the water source, and if the drinking water treatment plant is in operation, is the plant inlet. To determine drinking water treatment efficiency, samples are taken from both the plant inlet and outlet.

(3) At least fifty percent of the measured parameters in sample analyses must be accredited.

Monitoring and reporting

ARTICLE 12 – (1) Monitoring programs are prepared by water and sewerage administrations affiliated with metropolitan municipalities for waters supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water within metropolitan municipality boundaries, and monitoring is carried out according to the parameters given in Annex-1.

(2) (Amended: Official Gazette-24/9/2021-31608) Outside metropolitan municipalities, the State Hydraulic Works General Directorate performs monitoring of surface water sources supplied or planned to be supplied as drinking and utility water according to basin monitoring programs prepared by the Ministry and according to the parameters given in Annex-1. Monitoring of inlet and outlet water of treatment plants is performed by municipalities.

(3) Each monitoring result is recorded by the monitoring administration in the Ministry's National Water Information System and reported in writing to the Ministry every six months.

(4) The Ministry determines the quality categories of waters according to the analysis results of quality parameters in Annex-1 and the treatment classes to be applied to these waters according to the first paragraph of Article 6 and notifies the relevant administration if necessary.

(5) The relevant administration provides information to the Ministry upon request about the analysis methods and analysis frequencies used for the parameters in Annex-1.

(6) Parameters not detected after one year of monitoring...