Cyprus Mail 5 March 2025 - by Iole Damaskinos
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| The burned desalination unit at Kouklia |
Municipalities are in the dark as to the extent and nature of expected water cuts over the summer, Cyprus Mail learned on Wednesday, while the Paphos district administration head said the only solution to avoid an extended shortage is to access more boreholes.
“It’s a difficult situation as the month of March is forecast to continue the dry spell, and it is compounded by the loss of the area’s only desalination unit,” which had provided a third of the area’s drinking needs, district administrator (Eoa) Charalambos Pittokopittis told the CyBC.
The critical gap to be covered is between May and June, he added. Water cuts had been announced for the season but persistent efforts by the Cyprus Mail to establish their degree were unsuccessful on Wednesday.
The Paphos and Polis Chrysochous Municipalities admitted they were in the dark and awaiting information from the Eoa.
Meanwhile, the Paphos Eoa –in charge of all matters relating to drinking water management since the local government restructure, as well as the water development department (WDD), were unable to respond to a request for information by the time of publication.
Hopes are pinned on the speedy rebuilding of the destroyed Kouklia desalination plant to stave off the worst, Pittokopitis said.
The Paphos EOA is in collaboration with the district’s water development department (WDD) to scope out locations for new boreholes on private and state lands, as well as looking into re-operating older unused ones.
The rebuilding of the desalination plant at Kouklia, which had been destroyed by a fire in December last year, is now expected to be completed at best in September and at worst by November or December, Pittokopitis said.
But assurances had been provided that small amounts of water could flow from the plant as early as August, possibly July, he said.
Meanwhile, district crews are repairing pipeline leaks to curb water losses and engaging in a public education campaign to address wasteful habits.
Regarding the mobile desalination plant at Kissonerga, whose exact location had been contested, a tender was put out on January 29 and the bids were expected to be received on Monday.
The tender stipulated delivery of the project in four to seven months – with a bonus given to the contractor if completed earlier than the seven months.
