Main opposition party AKEL has warned of “nightmare scenarios” for the upcoming summer, describing the current water shortage as the worst in years and slamming the government for leaving Cyprus dangerously unprepared.
During a press conference on Saturday, the party unveiled a nine-point proposal to manage the crisis, arguing that the country risks being left without both water and electricity. AKEL blamed the current Christodoulides administration and the previous Anastasiades-DISY government for failing to maintain infrastructure or renew desalination contracts.
«We are at risk of being left without water and, at the same time, we are at risk of being left without power with all the negative—not to say catastrophic—consequences for society, agriculture, crops, and the economy,» the party stated.
AKEL highlighted specific failures, including the loss of 1.5 million cubic metres of water at the Mavrokolympos dam due to poor maintenance and the “scandalous” continued supply of water to golf courses while farmers face cutoffs. The party also criticized retroactively imposing environmental fees on farmers and suggested that planned household water cuts would cause more damage than savings due to aging pipes.
AKEL’s 9 Proposals for the Water Crisis:
- End Water Supplies to Large Developments: Immediate termination of large-scale water provision to golf courses and major projects.
- Infrastructure Completion: Fast-track the connection of dams to treatment plants in Tersefanou and Solia, and utilize recycled water from the Mia Milia tertiary treatment unit.
- Desalination Acceleration: Rapidly implement new desalination units using renewable energy to lower costs and emissions, while ensuring environmental studies are completed.
- Water Conservation Strategy: Prioritize saving water and reducing leakages within the existing network.
- Dam Maintenance: Strengthen the Water Development Department (WDD) with personnel and funds to repair existing dams and infrastructure.
- Mandatory Tourism Savings: Implement compulsory water-saving measures in hotels and large tourist units, prioritizing households over luxury consumption.
- Agricultural Technology: Expand funding for farmers to install innovative water-saving and reuse technologies.
- Public Sector Investment: State investment in water reuse systems for public buildings, schools, and municipalities.
- Tourism Management: Create a specific plan to balance the needs of 4 million expected tourists with the sustainable management of resources for residents and farmers.
AKEL concluded by emphasizing that water is a “social good, not a luxury,” and called on the government to adopt these “specific and applicable” proposals to protect the economy and society.
