Filenews 2 October 2025 - by Angelos Nikolaou
The state of the management of Cyprus' water resources was put under the microscope of the parliamentary Audit Committee, with the complaints and findings depicting a scene of wider negligence and inadequacy. A common element of all the positions was that the leakage and waste of water, the lack of institutions and coordination, but also the delay in the implementation of projects, threaten not only the well-being of the communities but also the very survival of the island.
The most dramatic statement came from EOA Larnaca. Its president, Angelos Hadjicharalambous, claimed that in 2025 several municipalities and communities in the province are served with water through tankers, due to a serious lack of sufficiency. The province, as he said, is facing water losses of up to 40%, while the networks received require an estimated upgrade cost of €40 million to achieve an acceptable level of losses of less than 20 %.
He announced that a network will be replaced in Oroklini and other municipalities, as well as the installation of 25,000 smart meters for better monitoring of flow and leaks. However, it made it clear that the available resources are not sufficient to implement all the necessary interventions.
The NOAs of the other provinces identified serious weaknesses, although they presented less dramatic situations:
The Famagusta EDA reported that losses reach 37%, but there have been some improvements. In addition, there is a need to replace obsolete pipelines and design new networks for the areas of Ayia Napa and Paralimni.
In Limassol, losses of more than 40 % were recorded, and the cost of reconstructing the networks is particularly high, especially in municipal districts such as the Municipality of Kourion.
In Nicosia, Constantinos Yiorkadjis underlined the need for close cooperation between the EDA and the Water Development Department, based on a specific timetable. He testified that the area of Lakatamia was left without water for 8-9 days due to a failure in the handling of the pipelines. He referred to an investment of €1.8 million in leak detection systems, as well as the creation of a single rainwater network in the city for the utilization of rainwater. He also pointed out the need for flood protection works and retention lakes in Engomi.
Mr. Georghadjis stressed that the losses do not only concern infrastructure, but also the inability to utilize water from wastewater, and the lack of methods to reduce energy costs in water production.
The Auditor General, Andreas Papaconstantinou, presented a report that highlights that despite the recommendations of 2016, little has changed. He pointed out that Cyprus is in a period of climate pressure with severe drought, and that the management of dams, desalination and agriculture entails great costs for the state.
EY's Director of Audit, Akis Kikas, described the main findings: the SEDY is under-functioning, meeting only 1-2 times a year, while the projects of the 15-year plan (amounting to €1.5 billion) have been implemented with obstacles: only 14 out of 60 planned interventions have been completed, and there is insufficient monitoring of expenditure per project to determine whether the budgets were sufficient.
In addition, many dams operate without a safety certificate or maintenance manual. Only three dams have been depleted in case of failure, while no independent inspection of a large dam has been carried out. EY also points out that during the retirement of experienced staff, gaps arose without being adequately covered, while about 15 private dams operate without inspection or certification.
As far as desalination plants are concerned, although they have helped to meet water supply needs, serious environmental and energy problems are recorded: high production costs, increased pollutant emissions and a burden on the marine environment due to the discharge of brine.
As far as groundwater is concerned, the report records that 64% of Cyprus' aquifers are in poor condition, mainly due to nitrate pollution and salinization. In addition, many drilling is illegal without permits, and permitting procedures are delayed. Water from underground sources is not adequately priced, and the quality of drinking water is not systematically monitored by most Local Water Authorities.
The EY concludes that, despite the nine years that have elapsed since the previous report, most of the weaknesses have not been addressed and immediate action is needed.
MPs: The water issue as a national challenge
MP Christos Christofides described the water issue as "one of the great national survival issues", warning that unless the way of management is drastically changed, the island will not be able to withstand in the future. He underlined that communities, such as in the Xyliatos area, complain that they lack water, and that in the summer forest areas (such as pine trees) are destroyed due to lack of moisture.
MP Savvia Orfanidou stressed the need for a holistic approach to the planning of water resources, as agriculture is greatly affected by hydrological difficulties, while she made special reference to the delay in the implementation of projects in the Solea area. Rita Superman pointed to the lack of know-how in services and the fact that there is no operating manual for important infrastructure.
The president of the Committee, Zacharias Koulias, accused the political leaders of not having understood the seriousness of the problem. The fact that dams and networks are poorly maintained, while at the same time up to 35% of water is lost every day, underlined the extent of the crisis.
Representatives of agricultural organizations said that the problems are observed due to procrastination, indecision and impunity. They underlined that the farmer goes hungry when he does not have water available for the needs of agriculture and livestock.
They stressed that EY reports should not remain in drawers, but should be mandatorily applicable by the state in order to make the right decisions and even avoid scandals.
