Pafos Press 1 February 2025
A difficult summer is coming in terms of water and it is imperative to put an end to waste so that we all have the necessary water, Deputy Director of the Water Development Department, Giorgos Kazantzis, told CNA, who outlined the multi-level efforts being made by the Department to ensure the water required for water supply.
Regarding irrigation, he said that the goal is to keep permanent plantations alive. Regarding the desalination plant in Paphos that was damaged, he noted that it is expected to reopen in August, while a desalination plant in Kissonerga with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters of water per day will be constructed in September and October.
He also said that they are examining solutions "that may bring us water from desalination even before summer," and that a tender for desalination of brackish water in the Garylli area will soon be announced.
In statements to CNA, Mr. Kazantzis said that the fullness of the dams on Friday, January 31 was at 26%, a very low amount, as he noted.
After mentioning that we are going through a second consecutive year of very intense drought that has left water reserves at a very low level, Mr. Kazantzis stated that the recent loss of the desalination plant in Paphos further exacerbates the problem and therefore the Department's first concern is to ensure, as much as possible, water supply adequacy in the coming summer, as it is expected to be extremely difficult.
Regarding irrigation, he noted that it is a given that the quantities that will be provided will be very limited and significantly reduced compared to last year's already reduced quantities, and therefore 2025 will be extremely difficult for farmers.
"We will try to give priority to professional farmers and permanent plantations in order to preserve plant capital," he continued.
He further stated that it is a given that the quantities of water will be allocated primarily to keep permanent plantations alive and from there on "we will try to allocate as much as we can for seasonal plantations."
Regarding water supply, he noted that the effort is focused on 100% utilization of the operation of existing desalination units, except for periods required for maintenance.
He added that the WDD is in collaboration with the contractor of the Paphos desalination plant, which is trying to restore the operation of the unit as soon as possible, stating that the Department's most recent update from the contractor is that it will be ready in early August, a schedule which, as he noted, will depend on various factors.
Mr. Kazantzis continued by saying that the WDD, at the same time, issued a notice for the construction of a smaller desalination unit in Kissonerga with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per day, which, based on the planning, is estimated, if all goes well, to be constructed between September and October, and will strengthen the reserves.
He also said that the WDD is promoting actions for the construction of additional desalination units and it is expected that new tenders will be announced soon.
Asked if these will be ready in 2025, he pointed out that the effort is focused on having additional quantities of water as soon as possible. We are examining the possibilities that could bring us water from desalination even before the summer, he said, noting that these solutions are in the investigation stage.
He then said that they will go out to tender as soon as possible for a brackish water desalination unit in the Garylli area, Limassol, which will most likely be constructed towards the end of the year.
Additionally, the possibility of utilizing additional existing boreholes, which for some reason are not in use, even in some cases private ones with water purchase, is being examined. More generally, in collaboration with the Geological Survey Department, we are examining ways in which we could add additional underground water sources to the water balance, he said.
Mr. Kazantzis noted that the measures and actions approved by the Council of Ministers in November include the possibility of constructing private desalination plants by hotels and farmers, "and we are trying, in collaboration with hoteliers, to determine the possibility of at least some hotels constructing such units as soon as possible, so that this effort can also cover some needs that will be removed from the water balance."
He further said that the WDD, in collaboration with the EOAs, are promoting programs to reduce losses from distribution networks, so as to limit consumption.
Another action planned is the citizen information campaign, in collaboration with the Press and Information Office (PIO), as it is extremely important to limit everyone's consumption to the water that is truly necessary and to avoid even the slightest waste, he said.
The message that needs to be conveyed to everyone, as soon as possible, is that a difficult summer is coming and we should all contribute to limiting consumption so that we all have the water we really need, he said.
