Filenews 17 June 2023 - by Angelos Nicolaou
By 2030, the Republic of Cyprus will be able to complete the ongoing sewerage projects included in Cyprus' implementation programme for the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, taking advantage of funding opportunities provided by European funds.
The Council of Ministers approved a series of measures to improve the process of monitoring and implementing sewerage projects, through which the implementation of the projects is closely monitored by a ministerial committee, consisting of the Ministers of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Interior and Finance, taking the necessary measures to comply with and, where possible, accelerate the timetables.
Also, for the same reason, close monitoring is carried out by the permanent monitoring group, the Water Development Department, sewerage boards and other government departments. Furthermore, the Cypriot authorities inform the European Commission, every six months, about the progress of the implementation of the projects, as well as the additional measures taken.
The main commitment undertaken by the Republic of Cyprus concerns the installation of central sewerage networks and wastewater treatment plants in communities and municipalities with an equivalent population of more than 2,000 persons. Cyprus' transition period for rural communities and municipalities ended on December 31, 2012.
For the implementation of the remaining sewerage works, it is estimated that €491.56 million will be spent. The total state contribution that will be required in the period 2023-2030 amounts to €311.5 million. The state contribution already paid so far for current or planned projects amounts to €37.2 million. and the maximum amount of co-financing from the Cohesion Policy Funds is €136.9 million.
For the 29 agglomerations remaining to comply with Directive 91/271/EEC, the balance of the state contribution required amounts to €263.2 million.
For the four agglomerations (Palodia, Erimi, Potamia and Tersefanou) that do not fall under the national implementation programme of the Directive and for which sewerage works are necessary, the balance of the state contribution required amounts to €31.8 million.
For sewerage projects that have already been implemented and concern both projects that fall under and do not fall under the implementation program of the Directive, the balance of the state contribution required to repay the State's debts to the Sewerage Boards amounts to €16.5 million.
In five settlements where it was judged that the projects cannot be viable without a state contribution and concerns the Municipalities of Aradippou, Livadia, Ypsonas, Dali and Polis Chrysochous with a total population of 56,700, the competent ministerial committee forwarded a proposal to the Council of Ministers for the revision of the current policy on the state contribution to the construction of their sewerage projects. with the aim of solving the chronic problem of financing and/or sustainability.
According to the decision, the state contribution will cover any "funding gap" so that the sewerage project to be implemented in each municipality will be viable. Any funding shortfall is estimated at €71.32 million, while at the same time the required cash flow to be secured during the implementation of the projects amounts to €189.15 million.
It is noted that this was preceded by an infringement action on 20/3/2019 by the Commission against the Republic of Cyprus, based on Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and which led to the conviction of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) dated 5/3/2020. This conviction concerns the non-compliance of Cyprus with the provisions of the directive for 31 of the 57 agglomerations of the implementation program. After this development, two settlements (Paliometocho and Kokkinotrimithia) had now complied.
A letter of formal notice was sent by the Commission on 19/4/2023. In its letter, the Commission concludes that the Republic of Cyprus has failed to ensure that urban waste water from 29 agglomerations (Aradippou, Ypsonas, Dali, Voroklini, Deryneia, Sotira, Xylofagou, Pervolia, Kolossi, Polis Chrysochous, Livadia, Dromolaxia, Pera Chorio-Nisou, Liopetri, Avgorou, Kiti, Frenaros, Ormidia, Trachoni, Episkopi, Xylotymbou, Pano Polemidia, Pyla, Lympia, Parekklisia, Kakopetria, Achna, Meneou and Pyrgos) is collected and subjected to secondary or equivalent treatment prior to rejection of them.
Project implementation status
Pano Polemidia: The construction works of the wastewater treatment plant in West Limassol of the Limassol-Amathus Sewerage Board, which will serve the entire produced urban wastewater load of this settlement, have been completed. The obligations for the settlement in question according to the provisions of the directive will be fulfilled on 31/10/2023.
Parekklisia and Pyrgos: The construction works for the collection networks are in progress and will be completed on 31/12/2023.
Deryneia, Sotira, Xylofagou, Liopetri, Avgorou, Frenaros, Ormidia, Xylotympou and Achna: For the nine settlements, the construction works of the pumping stations and the wastewater treatment plant in Achna, which will serve the entire produced urban wastewater load of these settlements, are in progress and will be completed on 31/12/2023.
Kakopetria: The construction works of the pumping stations and the wastewater treatment plant in Solea, which will serve all the produced cargo of this settlement, are in progress. The new date of completion of the construction works was set at 31/7/2024.
Kiti, Pervolia, Meneou and Dromolaxia: For the four settlements, the construction works for the collection networks and pumping stations, through four construction contracts, will begin within 2023 with the aim of being completed on 30/4/2027.
Polis Chrysochous: For the settlement, the tender process is in progress for the recruitment of consultants who will prepare the revision and updating of the studies, the design and supervision of the construction works of the collection networks of the settlement, as well as for the wastewater treatment plant, which will serve the settlement. The obligations for the aforementioned settlement according to the provisions of the directive will be fulfilled on 1/11/2028.
Ypsonas, Kolossi, Trachoni and Episkopi: For the four settlements, the delay observed in the implementation schedule of the project is due to the securing of financial resources by the State and the Sewerage Board of Limassol-Amathus for the construction of the project, which was a significant obstacle to the commencement of the required studies of the project. The date of completion of the construction works is 30/5/2029.
Aradippou, Livadia, Pyla, Voroklini: For the four settlements of Aradippou the date of completion of construction works is 1/9/2029.
Dali, Lympia and Pera Chorio-Nisou: The settlement of Lympia has already been included in the Nicosia Sewerage Board, while for the settlements of Dali and Pera Chorio-Nisou the process is in the final stage. The new date of completion of the construction works was set at 31/3/2029.
INTERVENTION
Every day the fine increases
Every day that passes without the wastewater treatment works in the 29 pending settlements increases the fine that the Republic of Cyprus has to pay. The Government must show more determination on the issue and monitor it so that immediate solutions are provided to overcome any problems that arise. The delay in the implementation of the sewerage program is due to the delay due to the economic crisis, but also to bureaucratic procedures and involvement in tenders. There have been rigidities in the promotion of projects that should have been overcome earlier, but the whole effort must also be supported financially so that, if possible, compliance with the Community directive can be achieved as quickly as possible.
