ASKI Fines Didim Municipality's Fire-Fighting Vehicle 160,000 TL for 'Illegal Water' Use

A fine for water use arrived at the fire suppression vehicle. ASKI, affiliated with Aydın Metropolitan Municipality, detected that a water tanker belonging to Didim Municipality used water without a subscription and meter from a hydrant at the intersection of Atanaj Street and Yağlıkuyu Street on July 29, 2024, while conducting fire suppression work on Yeşiltepe Kırgızistan Street in Akyeniköy Neighborhood; it subsequently billed Didim Municipality for illegal water consumption totaling 160,093 lira and 8 kuruş, granting the municipality a 7-day payment period.

In ASKI's official notice, Article 35 of the Aydın ASKI Tariffs Regulation was cited as the basis. The same notice also requested that an application for subscription be made to Didim ASKI Branch.

The Didim Fire Department Directorate's report dated the same day documents that land fire intervention was conducted that day on Yeşiltepe Kırgızistan Street in Akyeniköy Neighborhood — meaning the tanker was engaged in a fire suppression operation.

This situation draws attention when combined with the political history of the metropolitan administration: Aydın Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Özlem Çerçioğlu, to whom ASKI is affiliated, recently left the CHP and joined the AKP, while Didim Municipality remains in opposition. The fact that the institution applying the water tariff and the municipality receiving the fine are on different political lines has opened the timing of the implementation to debate. Sözcü reported the news in this context.