At 33%, the amount of water in the dams tells the KYPE, an engineer of the Department. of Water Development – Slightly increased overall rooting needs – “Autumn seasonal crops will be significantly reduced” – Extremely low losses in the water supply network – At the end of 2024, the increase in the environmental and resource fee
At 95.9 million cubic meters (ECM), i.e. 33%, the total stored amount of water in the dams according to the latest update of the Status of Dams Fullness, dated August 21, 2024.
The corresponding fullness last year amounted to 163,192 ECM ( 56.1%), as the Senior Executive Engineer of the Water Development Department, Elena Foinikaridou Stylianou, told the Cyprus News Agency (CYPE), noting that the total water supply needs during the summer months this year are slightly increased strong> in relation to the corresponding last year.
- We will say the water… little water, the dams have dried up-New measures are being considered in the Department of Water
Asked by the KYPE to comment on the state of the dams' fullness, Ms. Foinikaridou explained that the total stored quantity in the Government Water Works dams (KYE) in the Single South Pipeline Plan amounts to 57.9 ECM (30.6%) while in the corresponding last year it was 99.4 ECM (52.5%), in KYE Pafos it amounts to 27.9 ECM (38.9 %) while in the corresponding last year it was at 46.4 ECM (64.7%), in KYE Chrysochousamounts to 9.3 ECM (35.6%), while for 2023 it was at 15.1 ECM (57.9%) and in KYE Nicosia District it amounts to 0.7 ECM (20, 2%) compared to 2.2 ECM (63.9%) last year.
Asked in what state are the irrigation and water supply quantities today?of water, Ms. Foinikaridou answered that based on the Water Allocation Scenario (WAS), the approved amount of irrigation water amounts to 39.7 Million Cubic Meters (MCU) of water, and by the end of July 2024, 23.3 MCU of water have been consumed. He indicated that the coverage of irrigation needs is largely covered by the stored amounts of water in the dams, but also by recovered water after tertiary treatment of municipal wastewater.
Ms. Foinikaridou added that in terms of water supply, the 5 Pangypria Desalination Units continue to operate at full productionfor more than 1.5 years, noting that the full production of the Desalination Units creates reduced desalination needs from the dams' water reserves.
He pointed out that the Water Allocation Scenario which was approved by the Council of Ministers on April 3, 2024 determines the quantities that may be used for irrigation and water supply purposes during the current year in all Government Water Projects and is drawn up based on the Drought Management Plans, which also determine the permitted water withdrawal limits from the dams, based on their stored quantity. “Strict adherence to the SSN is the basic tool for rational management of available water quantities by the Water Development Department,” he said.
- The sea is getting warmer in the Mediterranean – New records and “entry” of fish from Erythra
He also added that according to the data, the total consumption of irrigation water up to the first months of 2024 amounts to 23.3 ECM of water in all Government Water Projects, compared to 22.5 ECM in 2023, pointing out that the consumptions to date show an increase of 3.5% compared to the corresponding last year.
However, it continued, due to the water cuts that began to be imposed on the supply irrigation water since last May, it is expected that the subsequent consumption will be significantly reduced so that at the end of the year, the SSC will be strictly observed. He also said that it is expected that the autumn seasonal crops will be significantly reduced, while the supply of water to permanent crops and greenhouses has been greatly reduced.
He noted that in relation to water consumption for irrigation< /strong>, the total needs during the summer months this year are slightly increased compared to the corresponding last years. This, he continued, may be due to various reasons such as population growth, the increase in tourist flows from abroad, the decrease in tourist flows from locals to abroad, the increase in temperature, etc.
In addition , pointed out that during dry periods there is a decrease in the use of non-governmental wells (due to a decrease in their efficiency) by the Municipalities and Communities and/or by individuals, which results in a corresponding increase in water intake from the Government Water Supply Systems.
Invited to comment on whether the appeals had an impact.for saving water, Ms. Foinikaridou noted that “any saving measure or campaign for saving water gradually contributes to the creation of personal responsibility in the citizen and the cultivation of water consciousness”. He stated that since there are many opportunities to save water in simple everyday ways, it is estimated that the appeals of the Water Development Department as well as the other Agencies had an impact, not necessarily measurable.
Extremely low losses in the water supply network
In response to a question about whether there are losses from the water supply network, Mrs. Foinikaridou stated that with regard to the Governmental Water Supply Systems, i.e. the central drainage pipes (external aqueducts) which are under the responsibility of the Water Development Department, the losses presented in them are at extremely low levels ranging from 1 to 3%.
He added that losses occur in distribution networks (internal aqueducts) which are under the responsibility of operation and maintenance of Municipalities, Communities and District Self-Government Organizations.
He also indicated that the Department of Water Development, aiming to increase the reliability of the water infrastructure, but also to cover the increased demand, plans/implements, through the execution of projects – the costs of which are covered by the State Budget and/or co-financed by European Programs (such as the Cohesion Fund, the Recovery & Resilience Plan, etc.) – projects to replace aging main pipelines as well as construction of new water infrastructure such as (reservoirs, pumping stations, pipelines, etc.).
At the end of 2024 the increase of the environmental and resource fee
Asked if there might be a review of water prices, Mrs. Foinikaridou said that in the framework of the Green Tax Reform which is included in the Recovery and Resilience Plan of Cyprus, a special study has been prepared by foreign experts, which includes recommendations to address the challenges Cyprus faces and its compliance with the country-by-country recommendations of the European Commission.
He added that in this context the increase in the environmental and resource fee is planned, which is expected to be implemented by the end of the year.
“The goal of the Green Tax Reform in the field of water resources is to raise awareness among the general public about rational water management,” he noted.
