More than 14.6 million cubic metres of recycled water worth approximately €11.6 million went unused for irrigation purposes in Cyprus last year, with some being discharged directly into the sea, according to a new audit report.
The Water Development Department (WDD) data, cited in findings from the Auditor General’s office, showed that only 48.22% of recycled water produced by urban sewage treatment plants in 2023 was utilised for irrigation.
The report reveals that about 10% of treated water from Larnaca and Limassol sewage treatment plants was discharged into the sea in 2023, down from 35.2% (4.7 million cubic metres) in 2020.
Engineers have identified high salt content as a significant problem, with testing at Vathia Gonia and Larnaca treatment plants showing electrical conductivity levels nearly double the permitted limits.
While the maximum electrical conductivity threshold is set at 2,500 μS/cm according to discharge permits, average annual readings from 12 samples at Vathia Gonia station in 2022 reached 4,128 μS/cm, the audit report stated.
Similar issues were found at Larnaca’s treatment facility, where average conductivity from 22 samples measured 3,563 μS/cm in 2022, well above permitted levels.
The problem exists to a lesser extent at Limassol-Amathus, Anthoupolis, Ayia Napa and Paralimni treatment plants, posing potential risks to crops irrigated with this water.
Each cubic metre of water treatment costs approximately 80 cents, meaning the volume wasted in 2020 alone represented a financial loss of around €13 million, equivalent to more than the entire capacity of the Dipotamos reservoir.
The Auditor General’s report highlighted several systemic issues in Cyprus’ water management, including fragmented pricing policies, excessive water demand growth of 14.8% between 2019-2023, and inadequate sewage connections for many communities.
Winter surpluses of recycled water sometimes cannot be stored, necessitating disposal with appropriate discharge permits that specify quality parameters and monitoring frequency.
Despite substantial investments in wastewater treatment facilities, with plants in Nicosia (Anthoupolis and Vathia Gonia) having an annual capacity of 13.2 million cubic metres and Larnaca 6.5 million cubic metres, challenges remain in maximising water reuse on the drought-prone island.
