Filenews 13 May 2025 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panagiotou, made serious spikes on the way her predecessors handled the issue of water resources during the joint session of the parliamentary Committees on Agriculture and Environment.
Mrs. Panagiotou, who assumed her duties on January 10, 2025, referred to the status she received, noting that when she took office, the occupancy of the dams was below 50%. As she stressed, she immediately gave instructions for the uninterrupted operation of the desalination plants, in order to avoid pumping water from the dams for water supply purposes.
The Minister clarified that the existing desalination plants cover only 70% of the water supply needs, however, she underlined that the policy of systematic use of water from dams, as well as the limited operation of desalination plants, cannot continue. As she said, the new strategy provides for the continuous operation of desalination plants, even in periods of increased rainfall, in order to ensure the sustainable management of water resources.
On the part of the Audit Service, Akis Kikas warned that desalination plants are not a panacea. As he said, both the existing and the new units that are planned operate with conventional fuels, which entails high operating costs and a burden on the environment through the emission of pollutants.
Mr. Kikas underlined the need for a holistic approach to water management, warning that unilateral dependence on desalination may lead to new economic and environmental problems.
Four packages of measures to tackle water scarcity
The Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panagiotou, presented a comprehensive set of interventions to tackle water scarcity during the joint session of the Parliamentary Committees on Agriculture and Environment. As she said, within a year, the Council of Ministers approved four packages of measures, aimed at strengthening water management and covering both immediate and long-term needs.
The most important of the measures is the approval, in April 2024, of the first National Investment Plan for Water Projects, which includes 93 projects for water supply, irrigation, sewerage and recovery of reclaimed water. The plan, with a time horizon of implementation in 2030 and a total cost of €1.17 billion, aims to ensure drinking water and irrigation water for the entire population of free Cyprus.
In July 2024, emergency measures were adopted to cover immediate needs, such as the use of drilling to enhance the water balance for the benefit of farmers. Subsequently, in November, the Ministry approved the Action Plan for Tackling Water Scarcity, which includes 28 targeted actions: among them, the installation of four mobile desalination plants, the expansion of existing facilities, new boreholes, as well as the construction of two new permanent desalination plants.
The fourth package was approved on March 26, 2025 and includes additional emergency measures, such as the reduction of losses in the water supply networks through financial support to the Provincial Local Government Organizations, as well as the simplification of the procedures for the installation of small private desalination plants. A special sponsorship scheme concerns hotel units, so that they can cover the needs of water supply without burdening the state network, releasing valuable quantities for other uses.
As far as professional farmers are concerned, a relevant subsidy is foreseen in the framework of the Major Investment Plan that is expected to be announced by the Managing Authority of the CAP Strategic Plan.
Mrs. Panayiotou reiterated the government's commitment to rational and sustainable water management, with the aim of ensuring water sufficiency for all uses, despite the challenges of the climate crisis.
