Newsroom
Cyprus has approved plans for three new permanent desalination plants, adding significant capacity to the country's long-term efforts to protect water supplies from recurring drought and declining dam reserves.
The Council of Ministers approved the projects on Wednesday as part of an updated national water strategy.
The new facilities are planned for Dekelia, Ayia Thekla and Polis Chrysochous, subject to the necessary permits and approvals. The Dekelia plant will have the largest capacity, producing up to 80,000 cubic metres of water per day. The Ayia Thekla facility is planned to produce 30,000 cubic metres daily, while the Polis Chrysochous plant will have a daily capacity of 10,000 cubic metres.
Together with a previously approved permanent desalination plant in eastern Limassol, the four new facilities are expected to provide a total of 180,000 cubic metres of water per day.
The Limassol plant will have a planned daily capacity of 60,000 cubic metres.
Long-term shift in water policy
The government has been reviewing its approach to water management as Cyprus faces persistent pressure on its natural water resources. The aim is to reduce the country's reliance on rainfall and water stored in reservoirs while establishing a more reliable supply for households.
Since 2024, the Cabinet has approved a series of measures intended to address water shortages and improve the country's overall water balance. The latest decisions follow a review of water demand and the progress of projects already under development.
The government has also agreed to proceed with a six-year desalination plan covering the period from 2025 to 2031 and has given preliminary approval for a longer-term strategy designed to meet Cyprus's water supply requirements until 2050.
Some emergency projects scrapped or postponed
The revised plans will also result in changes to several projects initially proposed as emergency responses to water shortages.
A planned mobile desalination unit in Ayia Napa has been cancelled. The government instead intends to rely on the new permanent facility at Ayia Thekla.
Meanwhile, a proposed floating desalination plant in Germasogeia has been postponed. Authorities will reconsider the project at a later stage, taking into account future water requirements, available reserves and its financial cost.
The Water Development Department is also preparing a strategic sustainability study examining the future role of desalination in Cyprus's water system.
One of the main scenarios under consideration is whether the country's entire drinking water supply could eventually be met through desalinated water. The findings of the study will help determine the final shape of Cyprus's long-term desalination programme through to 2050.
