Sewage from a pumping station at the wastewater treatment plant in the coastal area of Geroskipou has overflowed repeatedly in recent months, raising health concerns as the tourism season approaches.
Despite representations from the Paphos District Local Government Organisation (ΕΟΑ) to the private management company and a decision to replace the pumping station, the problem reappeared in recent days, triggering strong reactions from local officials.
“This is a long-standing problem that has not been resolved, occurring three times just this winter,” Marios Hadjimitsis, a municipal councillor from the Democratic Party (DIKO) in Ieroskipou Municipality, told philenews.
The effluent flows onto the road and into the sea, posing an immediate health risk to bathers at the Blue Flag-certified beach, Hadjimitsis said.
“We are on the threshold of the tourist season and we’re seeing sewage flowing onto roads and beaches, while the smell exacerbates the problem,” he added.
The councillor noted that despite assurances from the private operator that the problem would be resolved after issues with the pumps were fixed, they are now citing problems with the computers regulating the system’s operation.
The opposition party AKEL issued a statement saying the recent events “prove once again the correctness of AKEL’s position, which from the outset opposed the concession of the SAPA Biological Unit to a private operator,” a decision made by majority approximately one year before the implementation of local government reform.
AKEL has called on the ΕΟΑ to demand a permanent solution from the private company or terminate the contract and regain management of the biological treatment facility.
