3 Critical Details in İSKİ's Digital Revolution

Much More Than Just Water from the Tap

There's a simple action we do repeatedly every day: turning on the tap. Instant clean water is one of the most basic expectations of modern city life. However, behind this simplicity lies a vast and increasingly complex technological infrastructure. BThaber Newspaper's "İSKİ's Digital Transformation Journey" event offered a rare glimpse into the world of those modernizing this vital piece of Istanbul's infrastructure. As a technology strategist, I summarize the most striking takeaways from this important meeting, which I attended and which offer insights into the project's future.
 

This Isn't Just an Infrastructure Update, It's Part of Istanbul's Smart City Vision

The first and most striking point in the presentations at the event was the project's positioning. Speeches by both Tayfun İşbilen, Head of İSKİ's Information Technology Department, and Nihat Narin, Head of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's Affiliates Technology Group and General Manager of İsttelkom A.Ş., framed this project not as a simple internal system upgrade, but as a critical component of "Istanbul's Smart City journey."
 
This approach is crucial because it extends the project beyond İSKİ's own goal of improving operational efficiency. It integrates the management of a vital resource like water with a broader vision of technological and strategic transformation encompassing the entire city. This demonstrates that every digital step taken serves the purpose of building a more efficient, sustainable, and technology-focused metropolis of the future.
 

There Is No Single Hero: A Giant Technology Ecosystem at Work

Digital transformation projects often feature a single prime contractor or technology provider. However, İSKİ's journey is different. This transformation is not carried out on the shoulders of a single company, but rather by a broad ecosystem of specialized partners. Key players mentioned at the event include:

• Information Systems
• IBM
• HPE
• Fortinet
• Trellis

This multi-stakeholder structure is the clearest evidence of the project's scope and complexity. Bringing together the expertise of leading companies like IBM for cybersecurity , HPE for enterprise infrastructure solutions, and Fortinet for network security, combined with a competent local partner like Bilgi Birikim Sistemleri , who orchestrated the project, is a critical strategy for its success.
 

Leadership is Shared: Not Only İSKİ, But Also the Metropolitan Municipality Is Driving the Transformation

The opening remarks of the event, delivered by both İSKİ (Tayfun İşbilen) and a senior technology executive from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (Nihat Narin, Head of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Affiliates Technology Group and General Manager of İsttelkom A.Ş.), were no mere protocol detail. This demonstrates that the project's ownership is not limited to İSKİ alone, but is directly on the strategic agenda of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and its affiliates.
 
This shared leadership demonstrates that the project has evolved from an isolated departmental effort into a coordinated and integrated metropolitan priority. This strategic support from the highest levels of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality is one of the strongest guarantees for the project's long-term success and sustainability.
 

Result: Digital Drops Flowing into the City of the Future

The main takeaway from "İSKİ's Digital Transformation Journey" is that this project is more than a simple modernization. Its integration with Istanbul's smart city vision, its implementation by a strong technology ecosystem, and its support by a unified municipal leadership make this project a model of success for other large-scale public sector digital transformations in Turkey . This trident provides the key to a successful strategy that shapes not only the water in the pipes but also the city's technological future.
 
So, as Istanbul's most basic service goes digital, how else might this shape our city life and other public services in the future?