Rainwater Harvesting and Ecological Stops

Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Adds Another Rainwater Harvesting Initiative

The Izmir Metropolitan Municipality has added a new initiative to its rainwater harvesting efforts, which are of great importance in combating drought. To promote sustainable rainwater management, the Municipality launched the Sponge City Izmir project and created rain stops to raise awareness about the global climate crisis. In the initial phase, rainwater tanks were installed at five stops in Konak. Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer inspected the tanks, each with a 500-liter capacity, placed at ESHOT bus stops to collect rainwater for watering plants at the stops. The tanks are also visually striking.

“A Very Meaningful Initiative”

Expressing excitement about starting the day with a beautiful project, Izmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer noted that the initiative, although it may seem like a small step, is very meaningful. Mayor Soyer stated, “We are starting to collect rainwater at ESHOT bus stops with a mechanism placed on the roofs of the stops. We will use this water to irrigate the plants placed around the stops. It is a very effective project. We will eliminate the wastage of rainwater and make our stops even more beautiful.”

“We Face a Serious Drought Threat”

Emphasizing the importance of the project in preventing rainwater wastage, Mayor Tunç Soyer said, “Due to the climate crisis, we face a serious drought threat. We need to be prepared for the significant damage and harm that the climate crisis will cause.”

“Returning to Our Roots”

While trying to spread the Sponge City application throughout the city, Mayor Tunç Soyer highlighted that many methods are being implemented to ensure the efficient use of water. He said, “One of these methods is greening the city with the resilient vegetation that does not require much water and is compatible with the region's climate and soil history. Many species, from oleander to sandalwood, were once very strong in these lands but were later forgotten. We are beginning to change the landscape adorned with imported plants. In a sense, we are returning to our roots. This way, we will beautify our city with a vegetation cover that requires much less water.”

A Climate Crisis Awareness Project

Advisor to the Mayor, Alim Murathan, said, “To promote rainwater harvesting and green transformation in the city, we are distributing 5,000 tanks for free. This was a project aimed at creating a city dedicated to rainwater harvesting. Now, we have implemented the Rain Stops initiative as an awareness project explaining the effects of the climate crisis. We collect the water that falls on the stops and use it to water the plants behind the stops. This tells a story about the five impacts of the climate crisis: global warming, floods and flash floods, drought, and greenhouse gases, which are the source of global warming. We want our citizens to be inspired by this initiative and join our city's fight against the climate crisis.” ESHOT General Manager Erhan Bey also noted that this initiative conserves water, adding, “Additionally, the visual appeal of our stops will draw attention, and the rainwater will be used efficiently instead of going to waste.”