“Pollution wasn’t just an issue of smell or appearance—it threatened public health and quality of life. Mosquitoes, pests, and foul odours were major problems. Now, that’s all in the past.”

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Aydın Arılık, Head of Culture and Social Affairs of Ilgın Municipality: “Pollution was threatening public health and quality of life. Now these are in the past.

So says Aydın Arılık, head of Culture and Social affairs for Ilgın Municipality. He praises the effects of the EU and World Bank supported Municipal Services Improvement Project (BELGEP), which led to the clean-up of the heavily polluted Bulasan Stream and brought fresh water back to Ilgın.

The stream has now returned to its former self and is used as an example of positive approaches to environmental issues. BELGEP engaged with the community to build awareness of the need for a cleaner environment.

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Zaferiye Neighbourhood Headwoman Emine Aydoğdu says that she always remembers the Bulasan Stream clearly in her childhood memories.

Emine Aydoğdu, headwoman of Zaferiye Neighbourhood, says: “In the past, environmental issues were always discussed from the outside. Now, we’re part of the solution.”

She recalls: “We learned to swim here. We used to wash our carpets and clothes in this stream. Its clarity is etched in our memories.”

Residents of Ilgın, in the district of Konya, welcome the clean-up of the stream. The project has had a strong impact on the lives of women. They stress the importance of being more careful when doing laundry and dishes, using less detergent, and no longer pouring oils or solid waste down the sink.

Housewife Semra Divrik says: “We learned a lot about water conservation. Since we became more conscious, we’re now teaching our children too. I used to tell them to turn off the tap while brushing their teeth— but now, I follow up even more closely.”

The project focused on building the Ilgın Advanced Biological Wastewater Treatment Plant. Operational since December 2024, it marks a significant step toward environmental transformation and social awareness.

Facility manager and environmental engineer Suat Siyer explains: “Before the plant was built, domestic wastewater was going directly into the stream. Now domestic wastewater from Ilgın is transported to this plant via a collector line.

After undergoing physical and biological treatment, 96% of the wastewater is purified and then discharged into nature through the Bulasan Stream. Thanks to this high efficiency, the stream can breathe again—now free of odour and pollution, it nourishes its surroundings with crystal-clear water.”

EUROPEAN UNION, 2025

After physical and biological treatment, 96% of the wastewater is purified and released into nature, to Bulasan Stream. 

An environmental education and awareness programme was implemented alongside the building of the treatment plant. Training, which targeted Turkish and Syrian women and children, raised consciousness about environmental protection and the importance of water conservation.

Aydın Arılık summarises the message of these sessions: “We didn’t just explain how we purify water—we talked about how we should avoid polluting it in the first place. The moment water flows from the tap, a responsibility begins. Every drop wasted is, in fact, a loss.”  

Emine Aydoğdu says pollution had rendered the stream unusable. “Since the treatment plant became operational, the water has cleared up, and the smell has vanished. The villagers are happier.”

Women leading change

The project didn’t stop at environmental gains—it also sought to improve women’s access to public services. Many women lacked basic knowledge about services like water and electricity. To address this, women’s committees and information sessions were established across neighbourhoods.

Women are now more informed about how to access these services. With this knowledge, formerly considered a male domain, women now know how to apply directly to the municipality or other institutions.

Education through play

Reyyan Erdoğan, a sociologist at the KOSKİ General Directorate and social services specialist for the project, was one of the leaders of these social efforts.

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Reyyan Erdoğan, a sociologist working at the General Directorate of KOSKİ, explains that they designed an educational board game for children to raise awareness about water and the environment.

She explains: “We encouraged women to seek services from the municipality. We also designed an educational board game for children to raise awareness about water and the environment.

As the game progresses, they draw chance or penalty cards and learn facts like the importance of turning off taps or fixing leaks.” She smiles and says, “When a child says, ‘I don’t leave the tap running anymore,’ that’s hundreds of cubic meters of water saved each year.”

Supporting local farmers

The project also targeted local farmers. Hüseyin Doğan had long complained about the foul smell from the stream running through his fields.

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Hüseyin Doğan, one of local farmers in Ilgın: “Now, the water is clean, and we’re at ease.”

“Working near the stream used to be unbearable,” he says. He explains that they used to pump water from the Bulasan Stream to irrigate their fields, but the pollution would clog the pumps, requiring constant replacements.

“Now, the water is clean, and we’re at ease,” he adds. “If we can also start using the treated water for agriculture, the benefits will grow even more.”

The transformation in Ilgın goes far beyond infrastructure. With water restored to nature, people are reclaiming their rights, responsibilities, and the power of collective action.

Thanks to the EU and World Bank supported project, Ilgın’s future is now cleaner, greener, and more hopeful.