Cyprus is facing its most severe water crisis since 2008, when the government was forced to import water from Greece by tanker, as the island moves to rapidly expand its desalination capacity through floating and land-based units.
The Water Development Department (WDD) has received proposals from 53 economic operators expressing interest in developing floating desalination plants to be strategically positioned along the coastline, officials told philenews.
Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said that Paphos and Limassol will be the first cities to potentially feel the effects of the drought during a briefing on the government’s drought mitigation measures. As per the Minister, this is why the measures being taken target these two cities first.
Thirteen of the submitted proposals are under advanced consideration, with companies from Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Norway and Spain offering to install units within six months with capacities ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 cubic metres of water daily.
The current crisis follows three consecutive years of drought, with officials citing aging water networks suffering significant losses and existing desalination plants covering 70% of drinking water needs as contributing factors.
“Obviously, mistakes were made over time, but at the same time it must be said that much has been accomplished,” the Minister added.
The proposals under consideration include expanding existing desalination plants at Episkopi and Paphos with temporary units each producing 10,000 cubic metres daily.
The Water Development Department is prioritising proposals based on their technological capability, environmental compliance, and economic viability.
The department is simultaneously evaluating 40 additional proposals with implementation timeframes of 10-24 months from operators in Belgium, Germany, France, Malta, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
Officials are expediting the process, working with the Accountant General, Audit Office, and Law Office to accelerate procedures where possible, as the water situation deteriorates.
The destruction of the Paphos desalination plant by fire has further exacerbated the water shortage, particularly in the island’s western regions.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment instructed the WDD to conduct public consultations and request expressions of interest for the installation and operation of floating or land-based mobile desalination units as part of emergency measures.
