Apostolos Tomaras
At a time when climate change is reshaping the way countries collect and manage water resources, Cyprus is facing a major contradiction: the island is struggling with water shortages while millions of cubic meters of treated wastewater remain unused.
Water losses from aging networks are only one part of the problem. A much bigger long-standing issue is the failure to fully use the water produced from sewage treatment plants across Cyprus.
The issue has returned to the spotlight in recent months as available water supplies for both households and agriculture continue to decline.
One of the strongest voices raising concerns has been Nicosia District Local Government Organization (EOA) President Constantinos Yiorkadjis, who has repeatedly highlighted the capital’s poor performance in using treated wastewater for irrigation.
While water losses from old networks are estimated at around 40%, the amount of treated wastewater that goes unused is even higher, exceeding 55%.
These are significant quantities that, combined with desalination plants, could help free up water stored in dams for household use, while treated wastewater could ease pressure on farmers facing reduced irrigation supplies.
Is there water in Cyprus?
The question of whether Cyprus has enough water to meet its needs has a surprising answer: Large quantities of water are available, but much of it is going to waste.
Figures included in the latest report by the Auditor General highlight the scale of the problem.
According to data from the Water Development Department (WDD), urban sewage treatment plants produced 28.2 million cubic meters of water.
However, only 13.6 million cubic meters were actually reused, just 48.2% of the total.
The remaining 14.6 million cubic meters were not used for agriculture, according to the Auditor General.
This comes at a time when the government has announced a 33% reduction in water supplies to the agricultural sector due to shortages.
However, local authorities dispute the WDD figures, arguing that the actual amount of treated wastewater produced in Cyprus is much higher.
They estimate that treated wastewater exceeds 38 million cubic meters, of which only around 18 million cubic meters is used, leaving roughly 60% unused.
Nicosia: The biggest missed opportunity
Nicosia appears to have the largest unused quantities of recycled water produced by its sewage treatment plants in Vathia Gonia, Anthoupolis, and Mia Milia.
According to figures presented by Yiorkadjis, the three plants produce around 46,000 cubic meters of tertiary treated water every day, or approximately 16 million cubic meters annually.
But only a small portion reaches farmers.
Around 3.86 million cubic meters is used for agriculture, just 24%.
The remaining 76% is left unused.
Speaking to Kathimerini, Yiorkadjis blamed the central government and relevant departments for failing to create the necessary infrastructure to transport treated wastewater to agricultural areas.
"The use of water produced by biological treatment plants for irrigation could be equally important, but unfortunately it is not being fully utilised, mainly due to the lack of a distribution network," he said.
The Mia Milia problem
The sewage treatment plant in Mia Milia is considered one of the clearest examples of the problem.
The plant produces around 11 million cubic meters of tertiary treated water every year.
But because there are no pipelines to transfer the water to agricultural areas, a large amount ends up flowing into the Pedieos River instead.
The Auditor General has also highlighted the issue of unused treated wastewater.
However, the Water Development Department disagrees, arguing that 90% of recycled water is being utilized, because quantities not used directly for agriculture are instead used to replenish underground water reserves.
What happens in other districts?
Other districts also rely on treated wastewater plants.
Limassol
The district’s needs are covered by two facilities at Moni, operating since 1995, and the Western Limassol sewage treatment and recycled water plant.
Each has a capacity of around 30,000 cubic meters of treated water per day, which is made available to the Water Development Department.
Larnaca
A treatment plant near Larnaca Airport processes around 18,000 cubic meters of wastewater daily.
Famagusta
The needs of the district are covered by the Paralimni-Ayia Napa sewage treatment plant.
Water Development Department: "Recycled water is being used"
The Water Development Department rejects claims that large quantities of treated wastewater are being wasted.
The department says it is responsible for recycled water produced by sewage boards in Nicosia, Limassol-Amathus, Larnaca, Paphos and Paralimni-Ayia Napa.
With the exception of the Mia Milia plant, the WDD says annual treated water production reaches 27.8 million cubic meters, which is distributed through government irrigation networks for agricultural, livestock, and green space needs.
The department also points out that water produced by the Paphos Sewage Board is injected into the Ezousa aquifer, where it is later extracted as freshwater and used for irrigation.
Similarly, recycled water from the Limassol-Amathus Sewage Board is injected into the Akrotiri aquifer, which is also used exclusively for irrigation.
