By Selcuk Gokoluk

ANKARA, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Residents of Ankara are travelling to nearby towns and digging wells in their gardens in search of water to beat a city-wide drought in the Turkish capital.

One man resorted to using water from his home aquarium for a much-needed shower.

Amid howls of protest, mayor Melih Gokcek apologised to Ankara's four million residents on Friday and said water supplies had resumed for an indefinite period though the drought continues unabated.

"I apologise to our citizens for putting them in this difficulty ... No mayor, no official with a conscience can want Ankara to suffer such a water disaster," said Gokcek.

There would be no water cuts for the next 10 days, he promised in a statement.

Ankara began water rationing 10 days ago after levels in reservoirs feeding the city fell to just four percent of capacity, leaving water only for two more months. The shortage was exacerbated this week when a major pipeline burst.

With temperatures approaching 40 degrees Celsius and staying clean becoming a real problem, need has spawned ingenius ideas to beat the crisis.

"I last washed six days ago. My body was itching and I had no choice but to use the water in the aquarium at home to take a shower," said Ayhan Akdogan, an estate agent.

Many people are bringing water from nearby towns in trucks and some are digging in their gardens to find water.

Elderly women form queues to fill their containers from underground springs. One man distributing water said it came from a 32-meter deep well in his apartment's garden but added the water was dirty and could be used only for flushing toilets.

"There has been no water at home for five days. I injured my back trying to lift water containers. I am over 60 years old and I have never seen such a disaster in Ankara," said Nermin Spor, a pensioner and housewife.

The water cuts have encouraged more frequent visits to traditional Turkish baths, or hamams, outside Ankara, especially in nearby thermal resorts like Haymana and Kizilcahamam.

"I went to Kizilcahamam to get washed, but they did not let me in because the hamam was completely full with people from Ankara," said Akdogan.

Mayor Gokcek has blamed the water shortage on global warming, but many Ankara residents disagreed.

"I blame Gokcek for all of this. Why didn't this happen in Istanbul if it was because of global warming," said Spor.

Much of Turkey is suffering one of its driest years on record, but the capital, located in the sunbaked, dry interior, has been especially hard hit.

Gokcek, an ex-Islamist and a member of the ruling AK Party, said there was not much he could do.

"If God does not give rain, any measures you might take will be in vain. I invite everybody to pray for rain," he said.

Mosques in Ankara held prayers for rain at Friday services.

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