Tunnel beneath the Bosporus Strait to
safeguard Istanbul’s Water Supply
Istanbul, the thriving metropolis where Europe and Asia meet, is growing at breakneck speed. On the one hand its inhabitants are suffering on account of the scarcely tolerable tailbacks on its roads, on the other because of the increasingly difficult water supply situation – not simply during the summer months. Since 2007 a solution to secure its water supply has been forging ahead under the Bosporus: the water supply tunnel contract section Melen 7.
Only a small part of Turkey is situated on the European continent, the bulk belongs to Asia. Istanbul – in ancient times the city was renowned for its progressive water supply system under the name Constantinople – straddles both continents and is often described as the “gate to the Orient”. Like all major centres around the globe the city on the Bosporus Strait is constantly growing – today well over 10 mill. people live in Istanbul and its environs (Fig. 1). In this connection supplying water remains a problem, which so far has been secured on the European side of Istanbul by means of 4...
