Water crisis in Cyprus: authorities urge urgent water conservation

Despite heavy winter rains and snow in the mountains, the water situation in Cyprus remains critical. Reservoir levels have dropped to roughly 10% of total capacity, and inflows are among the lowest in the past decade.

According to the Water Department, only 8.3 million cubic meters of water have entered reservoirs this year. By comparison, even in the worst years of the last decade, inflows were at least 18 million cubic meters.

Winter precipitation has not significantly improved the situation, and water levels remain at a critical point.

Authorities have ordered households to reduce water consumption by at least 10%. Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotu emphasized that the crisis is real and urgent.

She stated that if current trends continue, the dams of the Southern Water Supply could dry up by August, posing a serious threat to the country’s water supply.

Starting in February, the government will launch a large-scale information campaign targeting both the public and the tourism sector. Water supply organizations have been instructed to strengthen monitoring of irrational water use.

The minister cited examples of households using 500–700 liters of water per person per day, calling such levels unacceptable during drought conditions.

“The more water we save today, the more we will have in the summer,” Panayiotu said, stressing that avoiding restrictions is only possible through collective effort.

The government approved a sixth emergency package worth €31 million, supplementing the previously planned €168 million for 2026.

The funds will be used for:

• reducing water losses in distribution networks,
• replacing old pipes and detecting leaks,
• free installation of water-saving devices in homes and public buildings.

At the same time, Cyprus is increasing desalination capacities. Plans include expanding mobile installations in Episkopi, Vasilikos, and Ayia Napa, building a new station in Mazotos, and launching the country’s first floating desalination plant in Germasogeia.

After project implementation, total mobile installation capacity will reach 157,000 cubic meters per day, in addition to the 235,000 cubic meters already produced by stationary plants. By 2029, authorities plan to build at least two new desalination plants using renewable energy sources.

However, the government stresses that infrastructure alone cannot solve the problem without changes in public habits. Water demand grows by about 5% per year, and even normal precipitation no longer guarantees sufficient reservoir inflows.

In the coming days, an interministerial delegation will travel to Abu Dhabi for talks with the UAE on water security and desalination cooperation.