A DECADE-LONG RECORD FOR MARCH INFLOWS - 35 million cubic meters OF WATER IN THE DAMS - OCCUPANCY DOES NOT ALLOW FOR CELEBRATIONS, THE WDD DECLARES AND CARE MUST STILL BE TAKEN WITH THIS PRECIOUS RESOURCE - Filenews 2/4 by Angelos Nikolaou
Cyprus is experiencing one of the most impressive months of the last decade in terms of water storage in large dams, as this year's March is recorded as the best of the last decade.
According to the official data of the Department of Water Development (WDD), the total water inflow to the dams for March reached 35.4 million cubic meters (ECM), presenting a picture that overturns the ominous scenarios of previous months. The total reserves in the dams are currently at 32.2% (93.5 million cubic meters), while especially in the dams of the Southern Pipeline (ESNA) the occupancy is at 27% (51.1 million cubic meters).
Despite the satisfaction with the beneficial rainfall of the last quarter, the director of the Water Development Department, Iliana Tofa, appears particularly restrained. In her statements to "F", she described the March statistic as "impressive", stressing, however, that the overall occupancy remains at levels that do not allow for celebrations.
"It is true that March gave us the waters we have been waiting for all quarter. The inflow of 35 ECM is the best of the decade, but the overall storage capacity remains quite low. We must not forget that last year came out with particular difficulties and people should not get excited prematurely. The situation with climate change has gotten out of hand and we are not complacent," Ms. Tofa underlined.
The WDD Directorate is now focused on completing projects aimed at drastically reducing water losses. Particular emphasis is placed on the projects of the EDAs, where water supplies are considered obsolete and need immediate intervention. "Projects have started that had been delayed for years. These are projects that take time and will not be abandoned," said Ms. Tofa, adding that water management now requires permanent and sustainable solutions. "In the past some projects were rushed to be done quickly, but now we are moving on the basis of proper planning to avoid the need to cancel projects in the future," she noted meaningfully.
Despite the fact that we have experienced periods of large overflows in the past, this year's picture, although positive for the month of March, reminds us that Cyprus remains in a semi-arid zone where the management of even the last drop is imperative.
