The state will begin a €9.5 million water infrastructure project in Limassol in July 2025 to replace ageing pipelines and reduce significant water losses, the Ministry of Agriculture announced.
The 30-month project will install approximately 98 kilometres of modern polyethylene pipes across three central areas of the city, targeting zones with frequent pipe failures and high water loss rates. Work is scheduled for completion by December 2027.
The upgrade forms part of the ministry’s broader water management reform strategy, responding to a third consecutive year of drought and current leakage rates of 35-40 percent in existing networks.
The Limassol District Local Government Organisation (DLGO) submitted an environmental impact report to the Department of Environment, outlining plans to replace deteriorating asbestos cement and PVC pipes that have reached the end of their operational life.
Targeted areas include routes from Enaerios through Makarios III Avenue to the central fire station, then south along the Garyllis riverbed. The network will extend east through Navarinou, Eirinis and Gladstone streets, and south via Independence Street to the coastal road.
The ministry has allocated €8 million to District Local Government Organisations countrywide for immediate leakage reduction projects. The Water Development Department, in collaboration with the ministry and DLGOs, has developed a comprehensive action plan to implement EU Directive 2020/2184 on drinking water quality.
New pipes will be installed parallel to existing networks, which will be isolated progressively as new sub-networks become operational. Construction will generate approximately 44,000 cubic metres of excavation material for disposal at licensed facilities.
Authorities will implement traffic management plans to maintain access to schools, hospitals, churches and other essential services during construction. The project aims to reduce pipeline failures, improve service quality and decrease unbilled water losses.
The ministry is pursuing additional funding through a proposal to the Cabinet for partial state coverage of project costs, following rejection of a request for inclusion in the Strategic Development Plan.
Technical support will be provided through the European Technical Support Instrument programme (TSI 2025), including training for DLGO and Water Development Department staff in modern leak detection and prevention techniques.
The Infrastructure Leakage Index will be implemented across Cyprus to assess and prioritise areas requiring urgent intervention. Cooperation memoranda with all LGOs are being finalised to coordinate immediate impact measures.
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