Filenews 22 February 2026 -by Angelos Nikolaou
Cyprus is facing the most serious water resilience challenge of all time as prolonged drought and increasing demand are pushing the water supply system to its limits. In a revealing interview with "F", Demetris Eliadis, Assistant Research Professor at the KIOS Center of Excellence for Research and Innovation of the University of Cyprus, explains why the goal of reducing consumption by 10% is the "golden mean" to avoid the catastrophic cuts of the past. Through the use of innovative tools such as the "Dropper" initiative, it analyzes how small changes in the daily life of every citizen can ensure the future of water on the island, turning the fear of water scarcity into targeted knowledge and action.
– You mention that in 2026 Cyprus will have "water for 11 months" if we continue at the current rates. Why is the 10% reduction target considered a "golden mean" and how does it bring us closer to European standards?
-Cyprus is currently going through one of the worst periods of drought. This has brought the water supply system to the extreme, with the result that drastic decisions have to be taken by the government to manage this crisis. At the same time, we have observed an annual increase in drinking water needs in recent years of 10%. In order to deal with this dramatic situation, the government considered it necessary to decide to reduce the water supply to the EOAs by 10%.
We know that for the water supply in 2025 we needed 114 million cubic meters of water (about 310 liters for each inhabitant per day), while practically today, taking into account the available quantities from desalination and the additional quantities that will be pumped from the boreholes, it seems that we can aim for 103.5 million cubic meters (about 280 liters per inhabitant), which are sufficient for 11 months. Essentially, this means that we are about a month short of drinking water, which corresponds to about 25-30 liters per day per capita.
The overall goal is to increase water production while reducing the rate of increase in water consumption, so that the state and the NGOs can create the necessary infrastructure to provide the required quantities of drinking water to all consumers.
This challenge does not only concern Cyprus, as according to the European Water Resilience Strategy, the goal has been set to make water supply organizations 10% more efficient by 2030. This is a goal that has been set throughout Europe, precisely because the European Union has recognized that it is a real problem that affects a large number of European citizens. The 10% target is a guide, a direction that both we as Cyprus and all European countries must have, in order to be able to better manage this crisis. We should emphasize that this crisis is not a Cypriot phenomenon, but a pan-European and global issue. Even countries that we traditionally knew did not have a rainfall problem, such as England, are now facing significant water shortage problems due to climate change, while population growth and increased water use by industry - especially with the rise of data centers, among other factors - have greatly increased demand. Almost 30% of the European Union's land area is experiencing water scarcity problems, resulting in insufficient production to meet demand.
– Many citizens wonder if such a reduction requires great sacrifices in everyday life.
-We know from past estimates that an average person in Cyprus uses around 140 liters daily at home (per capita daily consumption). Many times this surprises citizens when they find out. What we need to know is that a large part of this volume of water, about 50 liters, is not a critical amount needed for good living. The World Health Organization reports that for a person's high-quality living, around 100 liters of water are required per day. It should be noted that the European average is about 10% lower than the average consumption in Cyprus, at 124 liters per day.
By making small changes in our daily lives, we can achieve a large reduction in per capita daily consumption. So, if the entire population of Cyprus, and each one individually, reduces its consumption by 10%, we can achieve a significant part of the target that has been requested by the state. How can this be achieved in practice? We start by correcting some small habits that cause waste, such as a prolonged bath or excessive watering in the garden. For example, we know that even 10 liters per minute can be used during the shower; So, with a ten-minute bath we have spent 100 liters of water, which is what a person needs to live a high-quality life for one day. How do we reduce this? Quite simply, by turning off the shower while we are soaping or reducing the flow in half, we can easily limit our overall consumption and achieve our goal.
I believe that we can easily reduce our daily consumption by 10% or even by 20%, without really affecting our quality of life, as long as we have in mind the goal we want to achieve.
-The reduction in water consumption does not only concern households but also tourism and industry. How can the Cypriot economy adapt to this objective without affecting its productivity?
-This is a very important point. I must emphasize, however, that the reduction in demand does not only concern households, but also tourism and industry. Roughly, subtracting the losses in the networks, which are estimated at around 30%, water consumption by household consumers is about 45-50% of demand, while the remaining 20-25% corresponds to industry and tourism. As a result, it is very important to make efforts to reduce consumption in these organizations as well.
Certainly, in many areas productivity is intertwined with water consumption. But I believe that it is the duty of every industry to study ways in which it can reduce consumption where possible. At the level of the European Union, a great effort is being made to promote the circular economy, water recovery and better efficiency.
At the same time, it would be useful to have support for industries from the relevant ministries, especially those that require large quantities of water, with various incentives for studies and application of new technologies, so that they can reduce their current consumption by a percentage. Awards could be established to recognize this effort, similar to those in Singapore. A significant part of consumption is related to tourism. From previous studies we know that the average tourist consumes twice the amount of water than the average Cypriot. Therefore, it is very important to launch campaigns in hotels to inform tourists and to make an action plan, so that there is proper communication, while hotel units must have a management plan for this issue.
– In the past (2008-2009) Cyprus implemented the measure of cuts. Based on your data from Limassol, the damage increased by 100%. You think that power outages are technically dangerous for the network...
-The case of Cyprus, in fact, has been particularly studied and is a scientific case study, as we know that we had a system that operated normally with low losses and, due to the cuts made in 2008-2009, damages increased by 100% and water losses by about 55% in the following years. Why is this happening? When you make cuts, you have to periodically shut down part of the network. The opening and closing of the network causes a lot of strain on obsolete pipelines. This fluctuation in pressure, as well as the possibility of air ingress into the networks, increases the frequency of faults, as well as the risk of larger breaks. As a result, what we try to salvage during the cuts is lost in the next few years. At the same time, this entails huge administrative costs for organizations.
–What is it that really reduces demand?
-Let me emphasize that the cuts alone do not reduce consumption. What reduces it is the reduction in consumer demand. Precisely because we have tanks in our homes, the effect of the cuts is often not perceived; Hence some of our fellow citizens continue their consumption patterns unhindered, while others experience the cuts more intensely due to reduced pressures. In practice, the aim is to reduce demand, as well as to deal with leaks.
This can be done by providing incentives. In the international literature there are studies that deal with the provision of incentives and the study of their degree of effect on the reduction of consumption. For example, in other countries with similar problems, actions were taken that recognised the effort of consumers - such as the publication of one's name as a low consumer - but there could be other types of incentives, such as competitions, points or a cash prize.
In this way, we go one step beyond consumer goodwill. I believe that we need to study these with holistic planning, either at the government level or at the EDA level.
Reducing water without sacrificing our quality of life
–The "Drop-Count" initiative seems to be the key to the transition from fear to knowledge. How exactly does the website help the citizen to set his own personal goal of 125 liters per day?
-Most of the water goes to household consumers. Each of us has a huge responsibility in relation to our personal choices. It is necessary to know how many liters we consume per person and where we need to go. The "Drop-meter" initiative of "KIOS" in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (www.stagona.cy) enables the citizen to directly and anonymously calculate his consumption, using the data of his invoice.
The goal is to reduce by 10%, reaching the European average. To be understood, this 10% corresponds to one mop bucket per day per person!
If Cyprus, which is experiencing perhaps the biggest water crisis in the EU, does not succeed in this, we will have missed an important opportunity to secure valuable quantities. Through the "Drop-Count" application, the citizen sees the numbers and can understand what they mean for his household and receive practical advice on how to reach his goal.
For example, if you are at 140 litres per day, "Drop-Count" will advise you that by closing the flow time in the bathroom by two minutes or reducing the shower flow a little, or paying attention to one minute less watering with the hose outside in the garden, you can reach the goal of 125 litres per person. These are simple and practical tips, and we've seen that they actually work.
-There is evidence of who uses this tool and we have results in households;
-Thousands of our fellow citizens have used "Drop-count", but the campaign must be expanded. We need constant communication of data, so that the dialogue is not based on fear of cuts, but on knowledge. If I know that I consume 160 liters while my neighbour 130, that motivates me. We also need to make use of education. A simple experiment in schools, where students will weigh the water running from the tap in one minute, will surprise them, as they will realize that 8-10 liters per minute are used, while from the watering hose 15-20 liters per minute.
Water supply: We walk in fine lines
–Drawing lessons from Cape Town, you emphasize the importance of "positive feedback." How could "Drop-Count" be combined with incentives or rewards for consistent consumers?
-Cape Town is a prime example where they tested both positive and negative feedback. Starting with the idea of "Day Zero" and severe fines, fear was initially cultivated. Fear can cause a shock at first; however, we know from research that after a period of time consumers will return to their regular habits.
And this is the big stake: what will happen if we stop having this long, prolonged drought. Positive feedback is what creates, in the long run, changes in consumer behaviour.
For example, Cape Town recognized those who saved water and shared them publicly. They also did a lot of research with different messages to see which message had the greatest impact on consumers. And, in general, they saw that all the messages had some positive effect, some more than others.
For Cape Town society, for example, there was a great influence on public social recognition. At the same time, targeted messages were given: for example, they left notes in apartment buildings with the per capita consumption and the deviation from the general goal or the consumption of the neighbourhood, etc.
So there were too many messages that were given with the aim of helping people cultivate a positive way of thinking and changing their habits.
-Your message is that the water crisis is a matter of "numbers and behaviour". Do you think that Cyprus can avoid a "Day Zero" in 2026, and what is the first thing a citizen should do when entering their home today?
-I think we are far from a "Day Zero", as we have desalination. But we are walking in fine lines. A breakdown in a desalination can cause a major disruption to the water supply. In conclusion, we must cultivate resilience as a society, as families and individually, based on three axes:
1) Knowledge: to know our consumption per person.
2) Goal: to set specific and realistic goals with small changes in our habits.
3) Communication: to convey the message to our wider environment, promoting positive feedback and the perception that we are all acting together for the common good.
