Measure
Separate source, building, process and irrigation volumes through main meters and submeters.
METERING • CONTROL • MONITORING
Where should your water efficiency project start?
Water efficiency means delivering the same service or output with less water while establishing measurable, sustainable operating practices. Start by identifying where water enters, where it is used and where it can be controlled.
Control
Manage pressure, flow and valve operation against actual site conditions.
Verify results
Compare targets and actual performance using remote readings, alarms and periodic reports.
Atlas Meters helps you assess metering, flow measurement, valves, communications and software within a coherent project. Whether installing a new system or improving existing infrastructure, let us define product selection and quotation scope from your site data.
SECTOR APPLICATIONS
The right measurement boundary for your organisation
Municipalities and water utilities
Monitor network inputs, reservoirs and district metered areas (DMAs) together. Use water balances, minimum night flow and critical-point pressure to prioritise loss investigations; verify findings against maintenance and repair records.
Organised industrial zones (OSBs)
Make shared infrastructure visible from the zone inlet to each plot meter. Separate tenant consumption, common areas, treatment and reuse lines. Assess the zone operator’s obligations separately from each facility’s NACE classification.
Universities and campuses
Submeter faculties, laboratories, dormitories, dining halls, sports facilities and landscape irrigation. Account for the academic calendar and occupancy when comparing consumption; investigate night use and continuous flow.
Public institutions and premises
Build a water inventory by building and block. Assess taps, showers and cisterns for water efficiency. Bring responsibilities, training, maintenance and annual performance records into one practical plan.
Industry, hotels and healthcare
Link industrial process, cooling and cleaning consumption to production. Use relevant indicators such as hotel occupancy or healthcare activity. Select improvements that maintain required health and hygiene conditions.
Irrigation operators and landscapes
Record volumes by hydrant, irrigation zone and water source. Evaluate flow, pressure and irrigation schedules together. Monitor campus landscape use separately from potable and domestic consumption.
REGULATION AND SCOPE
Türkiye’s Water Efficiency Regulation: who is covered?
Published in Türkiye’s Official Gazette No. 32765 on 27 December 2024, the Water Efficiency Regulation sets the framework for system establishment, monitoring, planning and certification. Check institutional scope against Annex 1 and listed industrial activities against Annex 2.
Read capacity thresholds carefully. The public-institution row excludes education, dormitory and healthcare facilities; these are assessed under their own rows. Thresholds include 400 or more students for educational institutions/dormitories, 100 or more beds for healthcare and 100 or more rooms for accommodation businesses. Business centres and commercial plazas have a plot-area threshold of more than 1,000 m². Listed Annex 2 industrial activities require 50 or more employees.
Baseline system establishment schedule for 2026
| Category | Annex 1 period | Calculated date |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan municipalities and their water/sewerage utilities | 18 months | 27 June 2026 |
| Provincial municipalities outside metropolitan areas | 21 months | 27 September 2026 |
| District municipalities outside metropolitan areas, population over 50,000 | 24 months | 27 December 2026 |
| Buildings and premises within Annex 1 | 21 months | 27 September 2026 |
| Annex 2 NACE activities with 50 or more employees | 18 months | 27 June 2026 |
| Organised industrial zones, free zones and industrial zones | 18 months | 27 June 2026 |
| Annex 1 irrigation facilities covering 500 ha or more | 21 months | 27 September 2026 |
Dates are calculated by adding Annex 1 periods to 27 December 2024. For entities starting operations later, the period runs from commencement of activities. Check organisation-specific decisions and current Ministry notices separately. These dates concern system establishment and must not be confused with Green Certificate application periods.
Source: Water Efficiency Regulation — Annexes 1–2; Provisional Article 1(2).
CERTIFICATION PREPARATION
Blue, Green and Turquoise Water Efficiency Certificates
Blue: establish the system
The seven Annex 3 criteria cover responsibilities, baseline, targets, planning, training, efficient individual-use equipment and information.
Green: sector-specific criteria
Annex 4 criteria vary by sector. Article 7 imposes application obligations on specified groups, with maximum periods of 3 years for the relevant municipal groups and 5 years for the other listed groups.
Turquoise: advanced level
Voluntary certification based on the sector-specific reuse, monitoring and management-system criteria in Annex 5.
Seven essential actions for the Blue Certificate
- Assign sufficient personnel responsible for water efficiency.
- Establish the baseline: sources, consumption points, measurements and current practices.
- Set measurable water efficiency targets.
- Prepare actions and a plan to achieve those targets.
- Carry out training and awareness activities.
- Use water-efficient equipment at individual consumption points, including taps, showers and cisterns.
- Use written and visual information materials.
Staff appointment records, a tagged meter and consumption-point inventory, consumption records, the five-year plan, implementation evidence and training attendance help make preparation traceable. The Ministry’s current information and document requirements govern the official application.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry issues the certificate. Purchasing meters, valves or automation alone does not establish certification or full compliance. Atlas metering and control solutions support the field data and implementation infrastructure of your plan. TS ISO 46001 management-system certification is distinct from the Ministry’s Blue/Green/Turquoise certificates. Relevant Annex 4 footnotes waive ISO 46001 for the initial Green application but require it on renewal.
Applications and monitoring follow the channel designated by the Ministry. Article 8 provides for applications through its information system; Provisional Article 1 addresses the interim process before that system becomes operational. Certificates are valid for five years. Certificate holders subject to the obligation apply for renewal three months before expiry.
Source: Water Efficiency Regulation — Articles 7–9; Annexes 3–5.
FROM PLANNING TO OPERATION
Put your five-year water efficiency plan into practice
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Define boundaries and responsibilities
Identify the site boundary, activity/NACE classification, capacity and responsible personnel. Consolidate existing bills, meters, wells, reservoirs and installation records.
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Measure the baseline
Choose a representative reference period. Align inlet, building, process, irrigation and reuse readings in time; document missing data and measurement uncertainty.
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Prepare the five-year plan
For each work package, define the baseline, target, owner, budget, required technology and completion date. Include staff training and operating requirements.
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Implement metering and control
Install priority submeters, communications and the required pressure or flow controls. Resolve shutdown needs, maintenance access and compatibility with existing automation during design.
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Commission and document
Verify device tags, units, timestamps, alarms and data delivery. Consolidate acceptance records, training evidence and operating documentation in the handover file.
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Monitor and improve
Compare actual performance with targets and explain production, occupancy and seasonal effects. Complete the regulation’s annual monitoring and reporting; revise the plan where targets are at risk.
Article 6 sets out the five-year implementation schedule and annual monitoring of results. Define current and planned use, existing measures, targets, staffing, finance, technology and training together. The sequence above is a recommended engineering implementation roadmap.
TECHNICAL SOLUTION
From field meters to actionable data
| Layer | Requirement and design decision |
|---|---|
| Measurement | Main inlet, building, plot, process, irrigation and reuse lines. Select meters by actual flow range, fluid, temperature, pressure and installation conditions, rather than pipe diameter alone. |
| Communications | Evaluate options such as M-Bus, pulse output, Modbus or LoRa/LoRaWAN according to the selected device and project. Specify coverage, power, cabling, battery-life assumptions and reading frequency together. |
| Control | Design pressure, level and flow functions using suitable valves/actuators and field sensors. Define integration with existing SCADA or building automation, safe failure behaviour and manual override. |
| Software and reporting | Specify timestamped records, consumption trends, anomaly/alert monitoring, user permissions and data export. Confirm Atlas Server and existing-system integration scope for the individual project. |
Water balance, losses and pressure management
Compare inlet and consumption totals over the same period and in the same units. Account for storage changes, unmetered authorised use, missing data and measurement uncertainty before treating a difference as leakage. In utility water balances, non-revenue water includes real losses, apparent losses and unbilled authorised consumption.
A district metered area (DMA) supports monitoring of inputs and outputs within a defined network boundary. Minimum night flow and critical-point pressure help prioritise investigation. Pressure reduction must account for adequate service pressure, elevated areas, fire-water requirements and surge/cavitation risks.
Which performance indicators should you monitor?
Total use + specific consumption
Use m³/day alongside a suitable indicator such as m³/tonne in industry or L/person/day on campus. Define the population or production boundary clearly.
Metering coverage + data quality
Track monitored consumption points, missing-read rates and time alignment. Reliable data matters as much as low consumption.
Reuse + operating performance
Meter actual reused volume separately. State the denominator: share of total water use and wastewater recovery rate are different indicators.
Illustrative calculation, not a project result: If consumption is 10,000 m³ in the baseline period and 8,500 m³ in a comparable subsequent period, the volume reduction is (10,000 − 8,500) / 10,000 × 100 = 15%. Normalise appropriately where production, occupancy or weather conditions differ.
ALTERNATIVE WATER SOURCES
Rainwater, greywater and water reuse
Rainwater harvesting, greywater and treated wastewater have different quality and use requirements. Assess source reliability, treatment, permissions, storage and intended use together. Separation from potable/domestic circuits, backflow prevention and clear labelling belong in the project design.
| Level / group | Relevant threshold and its denominator |
|---|---|
| Green — NACE activities | 10% of total water use supplied from non-conventional sources. |
| Green — OSBs and zones | 5% of total water use supplied from non-conventional sources. |
| Turquoise — NACE activities | At least 20% of wastewater recovered and reused. |
| Turquoise — OSBs and zones | At least 25% of wastewater recovered and reused. |
These thresholds are individual criteria, not sufficient on their own, for the relevant certification level. Universities have different Green criteria, including at least 25% water-efficient individual-use fixtures. Rainwater harvesting refers to applicable planning provisions; relevant greywater footnotes address areas newly designed as of the regulation’s publication. Read the applicable sector table and its footnotes together.
TENDERS AND TECHNICAL PROCUREMENT
What belongs in a water efficiency specification?
Start tender preparation with brand-neutral functions, measurable performance and site conditions. The checklist below supports technical requirements for meters, flow meters, valves and remote monitoring. It does not replace the contracting authority’s official tender documents or legal review.
| File section | Scope to define explicitly |
|---|---|
| Purpose and site boundary | Facility/zone, uses to be measured, existing infrastructure, installation locations and expected outputs. |
| Meters and flow meters | Fluid; minimum, normal and maximum flow; DN and connections; pressure/temperature; accuracy; applicable conformity documents; installation and straight-pipe requirements. |
| Valves and control | Control function, inlet/outlet pressure, operating flow range, cavitation assessment, actuation, manual override and safe state on power loss. |
| Communications and software | Existing protocols, reading interval, coverage tests, local buffering needs, time synchronisation, alarms, access control, data ownership and export. |
| Quantities and work scope | Separate equipment, installation accessories, panels, power, cabling, valve chambers, integration and commissioning in the bill of quantities. |
| Testing and acceptance | Project-specific measurement verification, communication performance, outage scenarios, sample reporting and operator training. |
| Operating costs | Software/licences, communications, batteries or energy, maintenance, periodic verification, spare parts, warranty and service coverage. |
Acceptance scenarios to define in the specification
- Serial numbers, field tags and delivered models match the approved schedule.
- Measurement data reaches the target software with correct units and timestamps and is reconciled with the device record.
- Communication and power outages, recovery and any buffered-data transfer are tested.
- Pressure or flow control is verified at the project setpoint and specified operating range.
- Alarms, permissions, report export, training and operating documents are checked against the handover scope.
Set acceptance methods and tolerances from valid product documentation and project conditions. Compare installation, software, communications, integration and maintenance on an equivalent basis alongside equipment prices.
ATLAS SOLUTIONS
Select products and integration for your project
Ultrasonic water metersModel and communication options for building and facility consumption points.Flow metersSelection for mains and processes based on fluid and operating flow range.Valves and water control componentsValve families for pressure, flow, isolation and operating requirements.Automation and remote meter readingData collection and compatibility options for existing infrastructure.
Verify technical properties and documents for the selected model. See Software & Platform for software and integration options, or use the Atlas Server portal for existing-user access.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Practical answers for your water efficiency project
What is water efficiency?
Water efficiency means delivering a service or production output with less water, or obtaining more benefit from the same volume. An institutional programme combines measurement, targets, planning, training, control and performance monitoring.
Is buying a smart meter enough for Türkiye’s Blue Water Efficiency Certificate?
No. The seven Annex 3 criteria must be met. Meters and remote reading provide baseline and monitoring data; they do not replace staff appointments, planning, training, efficient individual-use fixtures or information activities. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry issues the certificate.
Do all companies within an industrial zone have the same obligations?
No. The OSB operator is a separate category in Annex 1. Each facility’s obligations depend on conditions including its Annex 2 activity/NACE code and the Annex 1 employee threshold. Shared infrastructure metering and internal process metering serve complementary purposes.
Where should a university start a water efficiency project?
Inventory the main meters and sources alongside faculties, dormitories, dining halls, laboratories and landscape use. Plan submetering for high or unexplained consumption. Assess building use alongside occupancy and the academic calendar.
Does the difference between a main meter and submeters always mean leakage?
No. Check matching periods and units, changes in stored volume, unmetered authorised consumption, missing readings and meter uncertainty. Continuous night flow or pressure changes can trigger a field investigation; neither alone proves leakage.
How do we choose between M-Bus, Modbus and LoRaWAN?
Assess existing device outputs, distances, cabling options, power, coverage, data frequency and integration needs together. Not every meter supports every protocol. Verify the selected model’s documentation and communications performance on site.
What belongs in a five-year water efficiency plan?
Current and planned use, existing practices, targets and measures, staffing, finance, technology and training needs, plus a five-year implementation schedule. Results are monitored annually. If targets are at risk, the revised plan is submitted for Ministry approval.
What should we request from Atlas for a water efficiency tender?
Share the site scope, pipe sizes, flow and pressure ranges, measurement points and existing automation to request product selection and an itemised quotation. Require model-specific data sheets, conformity documents, communication options and clear installation, commissioning and acceptance boundaries.
How much water can a project save?
Savings depend on baseline consumption, loss mechanisms, processes and the chosen measures. Establish a reliable reference period, then compare results under similar operating conditions. A fixed savings percentage cannot be substantiated without site data.
DISCUSS YOUR PROJECT WITH ATLAS
Let’s start with your measurement points.
Share the metering, valve and remote monitoring needs of your municipality, industrial zone, campus or facility. Define product selection and quotation scope with our technical team.
- Organisation type, site location and project objective
- Available consumption data and number of meters/measurement points
- Pipe sizes, fluid, flow and pressure ranges
- Communications, power and existing automation
- Specification or scope summary and target delivery period
Select “Water Efficiency” in the quotation form. Add the information you have to the message field and identify any missing site data.
SOURCES AND TECHNICAL BASIS
Explore the official sources
- Water Efficiency Regulation and Annexes 1–5 — Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Turkish)
- Blue Certificate guide for buildings and premises — General Directorate of Water Management (Turkish)
- Urban water efficiency and water losses — Ministry portal (Turkish)
Content updated: . The official Turkish text and applicable sector annexes govern regulatory interpretation. This guide adapts and expands the Atlas Vana water efficiency knowledge centre for Atlas Meters’ metering and control solutions.