The sea area of Moni and Monagroullio in Limassol is developing into a field of intense concern and serious controversy. The revelation of complaints about the repeated discharge of untreated or treated wastewater into the sea has raised a red alert to the relevant state services, calling into question the safety of coastal waters and raising critical questions about the potential impact on the region's desalination infrastructure.
The case came to light after a meeting between representatives of the community councils of Moni and Monagroulli with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment last week.
The subject of the meeting was the proposed new desalination plant in Monagroulli, however the agenda was turned upside down when the local authorities submitted an official complaint about heavy pollution in the sea area directly adjacent to both the proposed location and the existing Wastewater Treatment Plant of the District Local Government Organization (EOA) of Limassol in Moni.
The Department of the Environment undertook to investigate the exact sources of the pollution. In this context, the Department of Fisheries took samples from the bottom of the sea area with the help of divers.
The Department of Environment then took samples from the surface waters.
The results of the laboratory analyses are expected in the coming days, as they will determine the extent of the ecological burden.
The Wastewater Treatment Plant of EOA Limassol in Moni produces tertiary treatment water, which is available through the Water Development Department (WDD) for irrigation purposes. Based on the relevant discharge permit held by the WDD from the Department of Environment, the disposal of water into the sea is exceptionally allowed only when there is a technical failure in the network and there is a reduced demand for recycled water due to rainfall.
However, according to information, lately this Station has been receiving additional increased quantities of wastewater on specific days of the week, in order to absorb the increased load of Greater Limassol. This raises questions about whether the station is operating at the limits of its capacity.
A written complaint forwarded to the authorities and the media by a citizen, accompanied by photographic material from the discard area, causes a particular sensation. According to the complaint, during the three days of June 23-25, 2026, an obvious change in the colour and quality of the water was observed.
"The sewage is discharged untreated into the sea area under the sewage plant in Moni. As can be seen in the photos, the waters in the discharge area have changed colour. The illegality must stop immediately."
In the same complaint, reference is made to a previous incident, after a strike of tanker drivers in Limassol, where the president of EOA Limassol had publicly stated that an official complaint was received from the WDD regarding the quality of the recycled water produced at the Moni factory.
In addition to the obvious degradation of the marine environment, the complaint also focuses on an immediate water supply risk since the existing Moni Desalination Station is located just 3 kilometers from the discharge point of the Sewage Station.
Local communities and affected stakeholders await the official results of the analyses by the Departments of Environment and Fisheries, demanding full transparency and immediate corrective action.
