Filenews 10 June 2025 - by Angelos Nikolaou
With significant amendments, the bill for the amendment of the Law on Water Saving (Special Measures) is being discussed in the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture. The amendments tabled mainly concern issues raised during the previous meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources on 27 May 2025, where reservations, questions and comments were expressed by the members of the Commission.
One of the main amendments incorporated in the text of the bill is the explicit provision for the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment (YGAAP) to assume the supervisory role. As explained by the Water Development Department (TAY), this addition aims to create a national mechanism for coordinating and supervising the implementation of the Law, without removing operational competence from local authorities and Provincial Local Government Organizations. The Minister will now have the power to issue Decrees and appoint auditors to serve an out-of-court notice on offenders.
An important issue raised by MPs was the absence of a clear timeframe within which an infringement is considered to be repeated. The amended text of the bill now explicitly provides that if the same violation is repeated by the same person or concerns the same premises within 18 months, then increased penalties are activated and – in the case of a third repetition – immediate prosecution before a court.
The comments of the TAY regarding the fear of violation of citizens' privacy were reassuring. It was clarified that authorized persons, including private individuals, will not have the right to enter residences for control of the implementation of the Law. At the same time, rules are established for the evaluation and investigation of complaints – anonymous or named – and it is determined that the imposition of a fine is made only after the violation is established on the spot.
Another point that was the subject of comment in the Commission was the exemption of companies from the prohibitions on the use of rubber. The final text of the bill clarifies that only those businesses that use water for professional cleaning purposes and provided that they use high-pressure washing machines or other water-saving systems are exempt. This provision was deemed necessary for the functional coverage of professionals active in the cleaning sector.
During the session, data on the implementation of the existing legislation were presented, which showed incomplete enforcement of water saving measures. Indicatively, in the five-year period, only 40 out-of-court cases and 80 notices were recorded, mainly by the Larnaca District Authority. This phenomenon is attributed to a lack of staff and procedures, as well as to deterrent factors, such as threats against auditors. The new bill comes to remedy these weaknesses with legal provisions that strengthen enforcement and protect auditors.
