Environmental Burdens of a Large Water Treatment Plant: The Operational Phase

Being a metropolis, Istanbul requires a well-functioning urban service system. Water supply is among the most important infrastructures in this city that has around 15-16 million habitants. There are many water treatment plants all around Istanbul to facilitate healthy water supply to people. On the other hand, these plants are sources of negative environmental impacts. In this perspective, it is necessary to investigate the ways to reduce these negative environmental impacts. The objective of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of Kagithane Water Treatment Plant (KWTP) by adopting life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. KWTP is one of the biggest water treatment plants in Turkey. The treatment plant is located on the western side of Istanbul. It withdraws water from Terkos Lake and Alibey Dam. Energy input is addressed as the most important contributor to all environmental impact categories. In conclusion, it is recommended to develop strategies for the reduction of energy consumption together with adopting from renewable sources for energy input.