Filenews 12 October 2025 - by Angelos Nikolaou
Significant developments and historically high investments are recorded in the water sector of Cyprus, with three main axes attracting interest: maintenance and upgrading of dams, strengthening of infrastructure through mobile and permanent desalination plants, as well as reforms in the governance of water resources. The Department of Water Development (WDD) secured for the next three years funds that exceed all precedents, while only in the last two years more was given than in the entire decade that preceded.
The budget proposals for the year 2026 include total projects of more than €200 million. Specifically, €142 million for the purchase of water, the largest amount for the production of desalinated water ever proposed in the budgets. €1 million as emergency grants to the Communities for projects to reduce losses and solve water supply problems. €26 million for the execution of water projects from the WDD budget. €40 million for the implementation of water projects co-financed by the EU (in the Budget of the Directorate-General for Development).
Maintenance work has begun on the dams
The Water Development Department (WDD) has already started or planned the maintenance and implementation of necessary projects in all major dams in Cyprus. As of 2024, a special report was prepared, which identified and prioritised the necessary short- and medium-term projects. For the period 2025-2027, increased funds have been provided for in the WDD budget.
In dams with specialized technical problems, contacts were made with international experts and developments are expected in 2026.
In order to strengthen the technical autonomy of the WFD, it is planned: the supply of a device for the application of injectable epoxy in concrete structures (e.g. tunnel walls, water intake towers), and the acquisition of a drilling rig and a mobile grout production unit for drilling and cement injection. exploratory drilling, installation of open piezometers and other related works that the WDD carried out in the past. A short-term objective has been set for the ability of the WDD to act directly and independently, where necessary to carry out these tasks.
With the assurance of the above, the completion of recruitment and the training of specialized personnel, significant technical and economic efficiency is expected.Major water projects in progress
The Water Development Department, in addition to the maintenance of the dams, continues various other projects to strengthen its infrastructure, which concern both water supply projects and projects for the utilization of the reclaimed water produced by tertiary wastewater treatment. In fact, for most of them, co-financing has been secured from the funds of the European Union as they have been included either in the THALIA 2021-2027 Program or in the Recovery and Resilience Plan. Indicatively, the most important are mentioned:
• Vasilikos – Nicosia Water Project with a total cost of €70 million. Phase A of the project with a total cost of €46 million. has entered the final phase of completion as the last construction project (Kofinos Pumping Station) has been announced, the construction of which will give the opportunity to transport the entire quantity produced to the Vassiliko Desalination Plant in urban Nicosia. With the completion of the expropriation procedures within 2026, Phase B of the project for the transport of water to the communities of West Nicosia is expected to proceed.
• Kokkinokremmos Water Project with a total cost of €32 million. The WDD is in the process of evaluating bids for the construction of 2 more tanks on the Kokkinokremmos hill, with a total capacity of 20,000 cubic meters, which will further enhance the reliability of drinking water supply in the area of free Famagusta. At the same time, within 2026, the announcement of tenders for the installation of the transmission pipeline and the construction of the pumping station at the Dhekelia Desalination Plant is expected.
• Larnaca Recycled Water Use Project, with a total cost of €26 million. The Dam in the Tersefanou area, which will be used for the winter storage of the reclaimed water produced by the Larnaca Wastewater Treatment Plant, has been completed while the transmission pipeline is under construction.
• Aradippou Flood Dams, with a total cost of €20 million. The construction of the dams has been completed and they can operate by satisfying their main functional purpose, which is the flood protection of the downstream areas. At the same time, the Department is proceeding with the announcement of a tender for the installation of the connecting pipelines of the project and the water transport pipelines to the Aradippou Land Consolidation area in order to meet irrigation needs.
• Polis Chrysochous Sewerage System, with a total cost of €24 million. The WDD, through the provision of consulting services, has prepared all the required studies and is expected within 2026 to announce tenders for both the construction of the sewerage network and the Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Replacement of the Choirokoitia – Famagusta pipeline (Phase A), with a total cost of €16 million. The project is under construction and is expected to be completed in 2027.
• Upgrade of Water Treatment Plants(Refineries), with a total cost of €7 million. The project is in progress and includes the upgrade of the refineries with the installation of on-site chlorine dioxide production units and treatment units with activated carbon filters as well as the expansion of the capacity of the Asprokremmos refinery.
• Installation of a Monitoring and Control System of the WDD network, with a total cost of €7 million. The project is in full swing and is expected to be completed in 2026. It concerns the creation of an integrated system for the management of water quality, demand and energy while strengthening the early warning system in case of failure.
Two more mobile desalination plants in the works
In response to water scarcity due to prolonged drought, the WDD is implementing a series of mobile desalination plants in order to address the problem of water scarcity due to prolonged drought with appropriate actions. The WDD within 2025 has managed to complete tender and contract award procedures for the installation of the following Mobile Desalination Plants (WDD):
• CMA in the Monastery with a capacity of 15,000 cubic meters/day where the Units granted by the United Arab Emirates have been installed and operate.
• A CMA in Kissonergra with a capacity of 12,000 cubic meters/day. The Contract was awarded in May and the Contractor is in the final phase for full production.
• CMA in the boreholes of the Garyllis River. The Contract was signed in August and the works are in full swing.
• A CMA at the Port of Limassol. The Contract was signed in August and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Also, on September 30, the WDD has managed to announce the 5th Tender for the installation of a Mobile Desalination Unit in Episkopi with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters/day.
At the same time, the implementation of two more units is being promoted with the aim of putting them into production before the summer of 2026 in order to contribute to the strengthening of the water balance.
In addition to the major development projects implemented by the WDD, important projects are underway to strengthen the rural countryside both for irrigation purposes and to meet the water supply needs of the communities.
According to the development budget of the WDD, the works will be carried out in projects in various provinces of Cyprus related to irrigation, water supply and recycled water infrastructure. Several of these works have already begun.
Indicatively, the water projects of the South Pipeline include large funds for the water supply of the wider Limassol area, while the planning for works to upgrade the irrigation project of Kokkinochoria, the existing irrigation networks of the Akrotiri Irrigation Network and the replacement of part of the existing irrigation networks of Larnaca are already under implementation.
In the Chrysochous water projects, they are proceeding with the upgrade of the irrigation network of the government water project Chrysochous.
An important development is also the water projects of Solea - Marathasa. In particular, the Solea Irrigation Project is progressing, which includes the Solea Dam, main irrigation pipelines, water tanks, pumping stations, irrigation networks, etc. The Dam is located in the area of Flassou and has a capacity of 4.5 million cubic meters. The areas that will be irrigated belong to the communities of Linos, Flasos, Katydata, Evrychou, Korakou and Tempria. To date, construction works have been carried out that include the Solea dam, the diversion dam, four pumping stations, four balancing tanks, the Tempi reservoir, main transport pipelines with a total length of 8.5 kilometers, part of the primary network as well as the irrigation network of the community of Tempria. The irrigation network of the other communities (Evrychou, Korakou, Flasos, Linos, Katydata) will be implemented in parts. According to the Department, the project has been significantly delayed as the original Land Consolidation Plan has not been implemented, which would have created access roads on which the pipelines would be placed. Therefore, the complete redesign of the irrigation networks and time-consuming procedures for the expropriation of private land were required.
Other works concern the irrigation network of the Lympia dam, the Aradippou land consolidation network, the Aradippou flood dams, the upgrade of the Germasogeia-Polemidia Pipeline and many other projects related to the actions found in the National Strategy for the Development of Trooodos Mountain Communities, such as the project of Kampos, Tsakistra and Gerakia, installation of photovoltaics in water refineries.
Among the projects are those concerning the Valleys of Diarizos, Ezousa and the wider area of Paphos, projects in western Mesaoria, Vyzakia, improvements in river beds.
Studies are announced for permanent units in Limassol and Free Famagusta, with an operating horizon until 2029. They will operate using Renewable Energy Sources (RES), according to the new criteria.
Given the prolonged drought and the priority set by the Government for a permanent solution to the water problem, the WDD is proceeding before the end of the year with the first tenders concerning the implementation of the preparatory studies for the construction of additional permanent desalination plants so that they can be put into operation by 2029. These units will be located in Limassol and Free Famagusta. It is expected in the coming days that the Council of Ministers will finalize the final positions that will be placed on the basis of a multi-criteria analysis prepared by the WDD. It is noted that unlike the existing desalination plants, for the new units, the contractors will have the obligation to operate it with the use of RES.
The projects concerning villages and communities are important and which are planned to start within 2025. Among the projects is the replacement of main pipelines, in various areas.
What stands out, however, is the improvement of water supplies to villages, whose networks remained neglected, with a budget exceeding €5 million.
According to the WDD, the €5 million is intended to cover the costs aimed at covering both the government contribution and the contribution (deposited in the State's revenues) of the Communities concerned for the execution of various projects to improve their water supply systems throughout Cyprus.
Indicatively, some projects concern:
Nicosia District
-Replacement of water supply network in Kaliana
-Construction of a new water tank in Nikitari
– Utilization of a borehole in Spilia – Kourali
-Replacement of damaged switches and installation of pressure regulator in Agia Irini
-Replacement of water supply pipelines in Pedoulas
-Construction of a new water tank in Farmakas
-Construction of a new water tank in Agios Epiphanios
-Replacement of the old pipelines in Peristerona
Larnaca District
-Replacement of the drainage pipeline in Psevdas
-Construction of a water tank in Kalo Chorio
-Replacement of a water pump with two new ones in Alethriko
Limassol District
-Replacement of old pipelines in Pano Platres
-Utilization of a borehole in Agia Paraskevi
-Construction of a water tank in Avdimou
-Utilization of a borehole in Parekklisia
-Replacement of the transmission pipeline in Pelendri
Paphos District
– Replacement of an outdated water supply network in the community of Tala for better water quality
There is also a provision for a fund of more than €1.5 million for emergency projects that will be decided after the completion of relevant studies.
