Cyprus may have gained a temporary reprieve, but the nightmare of water scarcity remains. This year was certainly much better than last year, with higher rainfall. However, the Water Development Department stresses that we must not become complacent.
“The situation is better; we have gained valuable time, but the need to conserve water, reduce network losses, and, of course, boost desalination efforts remains absolutely essential,”
Yianna Oikonomidou – Senior Executive Officer, TAU
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Total reservoir levels stand at 38.9%, approaching the critical safety threshold of 35%.
The reservoirs of the Unified Southern Aqueduct Project—which are the most important for the country’s water supply—are at just 36.1% capacity a figure just slightly above the 35% safety threshold set for large water systems.
TAY warns that any further decline in reserves will substantially increase the risk of severe water shortages in 2027 and 2028.
“We are not only assessing the situation for 2026, but we are also developing scenarios with a time horizon extending through the end of 2028. And that is why we are not complacent.”
Yianna Oikonomidou – Senior Executive Officer, TAU
Desalination plants have also made a
significant contribution to the improved water situation currently observed in Cyprus, with TAU planning to operate additional permanent units and expand the existing ones.
“Desalination has played a decisive role in improving the island’s water situation. The goal is to further strengthen water security and increase the resilience of the water system in the face of drought and climate change,”
Yianna Oikonomidou – Senior Executive Officer, TAU
The systems still require careful management, as they are called upon to meet millions of cubic meters of demand. According to TAU, approximately 300,000 cubic meters of water are consumed daily for water supply, an amount that corresponds to nearly the total capacity of the Kalopanagiotis Dam.
Watch Eleni Michael’s report:
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