In a costly turn of events, Aradippou residents will bear the brunt of previous municipal councils’ prolonged decision-making regarding the sewerage system.
The expense for Phase IV of the sewerage project, which includes Aradippou municipality, has soared to €270 million.
According to Angelos Hadjicharalambous, chairman of the Larnaca District Organisation of Water Supply and Sewerage, the project would have cost a mere €50 million if implemented as initially scheduled.
Aradippou’s inclusion in the Sewerage Board of Larnaca (SBL) was significantly delayed, as the municipality initially sought to manage its own sewerage system independently.
This hesitation resulted in a decade-long delay before Aradippou finally joined the SBL in 2019.
During this period, costs escalated dramatically. In 2022, the government decided to include Livadia, Oroklini, and Pyla in Phase IV of the sewerage project.
Hadjicharalambous explained, “The project was to be initiated by the SBL, but Aradippou wanted its own sewerage system. Years passed, and given today’s circumstances, the cost is much higher than it would have been then. The initial cost was around €50 million, and of the €270 million, 80% will come from the state and 20% from taxes on residents over 25 years”.
He noted that taxation has already begun, despite strong opposition from residents in the areas included in the fourth phase, particularly in Livadia.
The Republic of Cyprus faces condemnation from relevant EU bodies for the delay in establishing sewerage systems in Aradippou and other areas included in Phase IV.
Currently, studies are underway for the design of the sewage network and a new Sewage Treatment Plant (STP).
The project will cover residential areas in the aforementioned regions, requiring approximately 330km of sewage pipes, 14 pumping stations, and a new STP.
