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The Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI), the city’s public water utility under the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), announced on Sunday that residents supplied by the pipeline connecting the Omerli Drinking Water Treatment Plant to the Camlica Reservoir may observe temporary discoloration in their water due to ongoing operational work.
According to the agency, the pipeline is currently undergoing maintenance to ensure uninterrupted service. Residents have reported a change in water color, but ISKI stated that the discoloration does not pose a health risk.
"Temporary discoloration has been observed in the water supplied to subscribers connected to the Omerli-Camlica transmission line. Our teams are carrying out discharge procedures on-site, and the water quality is expected to return to normal shortly," the agency said in its public statement. It emphasized that the color change "does not carry any health risks."
ISKI clarified that the observed cloudiness is a normal occurrence during large-scale maintenance operations and has no impact on the safety of potable water. The agency noted that the discoloration results from sediment disturbance within the transmission system and that extensive flushing is underway to clear the lines.
Residents affected by the issue are advised that the water remains safe to use and that clarity will be restored as the system stabilizes.
The Omerli Treatment Plant is one of the main facilities supplying drinking water to Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city and a metropolitan area of over 15 million people.
It delivers water through a network of underground pipelines and reservoirs, which occasionally require scheduled maintenance to ensure system reliability.
ISKI said the operational work is routine and part of ongoing efforts to maintain the integrity of the city's water infrastructure.
The agency did not indicate any interruption to the water supply, only a temporary aesthetic change.
ISKI teams are monitoring water quality on-site while carrying out discharge operations, a process commonly used in large water networks to remove sediments.
According to the agency, water clarity is expected to normalize shortly once the maintenance work is completed.
The administration reaffirmed its commitment to providing clean and safe drinking water, adding that updates will be shared if necessary as operations continue.
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