In the context of addressing water scarcity, the Council of Ministers has taken, since 2024, a series of decisions to strengthen the water balance and ensure water supply. Based on the progress of the implementation of the projects and the reassessment of water needs, during today's session he updated the planning concerning the desalination projects.
The decisions are part of a more comprehensive, long-term planning, with the aim of significantly strengthening the country's water security and gradually reducing the dependence of the water supply on rainfall and dam reserves.
In this context, the implementation of three new Permanent Desalination Plants in Dhekelia, with a capacity of 80,000 cubic meters per day, in Agia Thekla, with a capacity of 30,000 cubic meters per day, and in Polis Chrysochous, with a capacity of 10,000 cubic meters per day, provided that all the required approvals and licenses will be secured.
The three new Units will be promoted in parallel with the new Permanent Desalination Plant of East Limassol, with a capacity of 60,000 cubic meters per day, the implementation of which has already been approved. The four new Permanent Desalination Plants will have a total projected capacity of 180,000 cubic meters of water per day.
In the context of the re-evaluation of projects that had been planned as emergency measures to address water scarcity, it was decided to cancel the Mobile Desalination Plant in Ayia Napa, which is being replaced in the design by the new Permanent Desalination Plant in Ayia Thekla. It was also decided to postpone the Floating Desalination Plant in Germasogeia, the necessity of which will be reviewed at a later time, based on water needs, water reserves and financial costs.
At the same time, it was decided to promote the implementation of the Six-Year Desalination Plan for the period 2025-2031, as well as, in principle, to promote the implementation of the Long-Term Desalination Plan to meet the country's water supply needs until 2050.
As part of the long-term planning, the Water Development Department is also proceeding with the process of preparing a Strategic Sustainability Study for Desalination Projects, which will examine, as a basic scenario, the possibility of serving 100% of the country's water supply needs with desalinated water. On the basis of the conclusions of the Study, the final decisions for the implementation of the Long-Term Plan will be taken.
With these decisions, another essential step is taken to strengthen the water security of Cyprus and the creation of a safer, more resilient and reliable water system, so that the water supply of citizens depends to a significantly lesser extent on weather conditions.
