(Commonwealth_Europe) Cyprus has announced plans to subsidize the construction of private desalination plants at hotels as part of an effort to secure enough fresh water to meet the needs of the island nation during the busy summer months. This initiative comes in response to a series of challenges Cyprus is facing with its water supply, particularly after experiencing the second-driest winter in a decade. The water levels across the country’s 108 dams have reached critically low levels, and the national water supply network is struggling to meet demand, with infrastructure leaks contributing to the problem.
To address the situation, the government has committed to providing €3 million in funding over the next two years, specifically targeted at helping hotels construct their desalination plants. These private desalination units are expected to play a key role in easing the pressure on the national water supply, particularly during peak tourist seasons when water demand is at its highest.
Alongside this funding, the government is also introducing measures to streamline the process for key sectors, such as agriculture and tourism, to build smaller-scale desalination plants. The goal is to make it easier and faster for these industries to establish their water purification systems, ensuring a more reliable and sustainable supply of fresh water.
To further reduce the strain on the country’s water infrastructure, Cyprus is also investing €8 million into fixing its existing pipe networks. Leaks and water losses, which are currently estimated to account for up to 40 percent of the water supply, are a significant problem that exacerbates the country’s water shortage. By addressing these leaks, the government hopes to conserve valuable resources and improve the efficiency of its water distribution system.
These measures are part of a broader strategy to reduce Cyprus’s reliance on traditional water sources and increase its dependence on desalinated water. Currently, Cyprus has four permanent desalination plants, which produce a combined total of 940,000 cubic meters of fresh water daily. However, the need for additional desalination capacity is clear, especially given the growing demands of the tourism industry. To that end, four mobile desalination plants are set to come online by October, each capable of producing 30,000 cubic meters of drinkable water per day. These mobile units will help augment the supply of fresh water during critical periods, such as the summer months when water demand peaks.
Despite the growing reliance on desalinated water, Cyprus is still maintaining its extensive network of dams, which have a combined capacity of 330 million cubic meters. However, current data shows that the dams are only at 24.6 percent of their capacity, a sharp decline compared to 47.2 percent in 2024. This stark decrease underscores the urgency of addressing the island’s water supply challenges.
Tourism is a vital sector for Cyprus, contributing approximately 13.5 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). In 2024, the island set a new record with over 4 million tourist arrivals. With such high demand for water, driven by both the local population and the tourism industry, securing a stable and sustainable water supply is more crucial than ever. The government’s initiatives, including the expansion of desalination capacity and investment in infrastructure improvements, are designed to ensure that Cyprus can continue to thrive as a popular tourist destination while also managing its water resources effectively in the face of increasing climate pressures.
