The Cypriot authorities have announced a water saving regime and ordered households to reduce consumption by 10% amid record low water levels in reservoirs.
According to the government, the country has actually entered into an emergency situation with water supply: water reserves in reservoirs are about 10%, and winter precipitation has not been able to fill the deficit. The inflow of water this year reached only 8.3 million cubic meters, less than half of the figure recorded in the worst year of the last decade.
Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou stressed that the situation is “not theoretical, but real and urgent,” warning that if current conditions persist, the reservoirs of the Southern Aqueduct could run out by August.
In this regard, the government approved an additional package of emergency measures in the amount of 31 million euros, the sixth in a row, in addition to 168 million euros already provided for in the budget for 2026. A large-scale information campaign aimed at reducing water consumption by households and the tourism sector by 10% will be launched in February.
The Minister cited examples of excessive consumption — from 500 to 700 liters of water per person per day, calling such indicators abuse in conditions of prolonged drought. According to her, preventing the introduction of water rationing directly depends on the collective efforts of the population.
As part of a demand management program worth 6 million euros, water-saving equipment will be provided free of charge to households and public buildings. Another 1.5 million euros were allocated to the provincial authorities to replace outdated pipes and promptly identify leaks.
At the same time, Cyprus is increasing its desalination capacity. It is planned to increase them by 66% due to mobile and floating installations, including a new mobile installation in Mazotos and the country’s first floating desalination plant in Germasogeia. In the future, it is planned to build at least two new stationary installations using renewable energy sources until 2029.
Nevertheless, the authorities emphasize that infrastructure solutions are not enough. The annual demand for water is growing by about 5%, and the effects of years of drought mean that even normal precipitation does not guarantee an increase in the flow of water into reservoirs.
Cyprus has been experiencing dry conditions for the fourth year in a row. In the coming days, government representatives will travel to Abu Dhabi to discuss cooperation in the field of water security and desalination with the United Arab Emirates.
A source: in-cyprus.philenews.com
https://cyprusbutterfly.com.cy/news/na-kipre-chrezvyichajnaya-situacziya-s-presnoj-vodoj-v-usloviyax-zatyazhnoj-zasuxi
