Cyprus recorded its highest dam inflows for the month of March in a decade, with 35 million cubic metres of water flowing into reservoirs last month — but the island’s top water official is urging the public not to read too much into the figures.
According to data from the Water Development Department (WDD), total dam reserves currently stand at 31.5%, equivalent to 92 million cubic metres. Reservoirs feeding the Southern Conveyor Project are at 26.4%, holding 50 million cubic metres.
WDD Director Iliana Tofa described the March figure as “impressive” but struck a cautious note. “March gave us in one go the water we had been waiting for all quarter,” she told Phileleftheros.
“The 35 MCM inflow is the best of the decade, but overall storage capacity remains quite low. We must not forget that last year was particularly difficult, and people should not get carried away too soon. The situation with climate change has got out of hand and we are not resting on our laurels.”
The WDD is now focused on completing projects aimed at significantly cutting water losses, with particular attention to District Local Government Organisation (EOA) networks, whose water supply infrastructure is considered outdated and in urgent need of upgrading.
“Works that had been delayed for years have now started. These are projects that take time and will not be abandoned,” Tofa said, adding that water management now demands permanent, sustainable solutions. “In the past, some projects were rushed through quickly, but we are now working on the basis of proper planning to avoid having to cancel projects in the future,” she said.
Despite positive figures for March, Cyprus remains a semi-arid country where managing every drop of water is essential, the WDD noted.
