Todays Zaman reported that the Public Waterworks Administration's Region 4 administration will open a project bid for the Mavi Tünel project, expected to provide the Konya Plain with 414 million cubic meters of water annually, in August. The project is expected to cost TRL 750 million.

Mr Mevlüt Pınarkara DSİ Region Four Deputy General Manager while speaking with the Anatolia news agency said that the Blue Tunnel project, the most important leg of the Konya Plains Project is proceeding at a quick pace. A total of 414 million cubic meters of water in the Göksü Basin, which empties into the Mediterranean, will be redirected to the Konya Basin with the help of the Blue Tunnel project, facilitating the irrigation of land in the region and reducing pressure on groundwater in the Konya Basin.

Construction of Bağbaşı Dam, the first phase of the Blue Tunnel Project with its 180 million cubic meter capacity started last year. The second leg of the Blue Tunnel Project includes Afşar Dam, the Afşar Bağbaşı derivation channel, the Mavi regulator, the Apa Hotamış transfer channel and the Hotamış reservoir.

Mr Pınarkara said that the Hotamış reservoir will be constructed at the Hotamış marsh, which has already dried out, and added it will have a capacity of 580 million cubic meters. The water brought from the Göksü Basin will first be transferred to Hotamış reservoir and after that, sent for irrigation. We will fill the reservoir to full capacity every year. The target of the Blue Tunnel project is to bring in 414 million cubic meters of water but this number will be exceeded with the help of rain water and purified wastewater.

Mr Pınarkara also noted that thanks to this project a total of 223 million square meters will be irrigated and a total of 147.5 GWh of electricity produced and added that this water will also serve as drinking water in the city of Konya.