Action Line 80103 - Base Water Published March 10, 2008 By Anonymous 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- Question: I don't feel as though I need to go into extreme detail about how hard the water is here because as you are reading this I am sure that your body is itchy and hands are cracked and no amount of lotion will suffice. I understand that we are in Turkey and things are done differently but we have the technology and I am sure that something can be done. Every time I step into the shower I feel like I am being assaulted and there is no one who can save me. My child, who definitely has dry skin, suffers from bloody knuckles that get wrapped in lotion and Vaseline every night to stop the cracking and bleeding. I am quite positive that a majority of the base population has the same problem; there must be a way to sooth our itchy dry skin. Answer: Many of us are victims of dry skin due to the hard water and our dry winter months, I too use a lot of lotion due to this problem. In addition to the dry skin, the hard water significantly increases water infrastructure maintenance costs and shortens the life expectancy of appliances like washing machines and dishwashers. In an effort to resolve all of these problems, we're proud to announce that we advocated for and won approval to install a system-wide water softener that should soften our water on base by approximately 80%. This project, which is the #1 Energy Conservation Investment Program project for the entire AF, should be operational in 18-24 months. While most of us will not benefit from this equipment before we PCS, please know that aside from causing dry skin, water hardness is not a health hazard; however we do recommend you consult with your primary care manager to address your family's skin care issues.