Apostolos Tomaras
Early signs from this winter’s rainfall are already raising alarm bells: the water collected in Cyprus’ dams so far is nowhere near enough to change the picture for 2026.
Just half a million cubic meters of water have flowed into reservoirs from recent rain, a figure the Water Development Department says is far from satisfactory. The concern is that 2026 may look uncomfortably similar to 2025, when authorities were forced into last-minute measures to stop Cyprus from running short of water during the peak tourist season.
Unless the current hydrological year, which runs from September to October, takes a dramatic turn, officials say the burden of water supply will once again fall almost entirely on desalination plants.
Planning for next summer is already under way, with government officials openly acknowledging that the current number of desalination units is not enough to meet demand during the most difficult months. The key question now is whether an ambitious action plan can be completed in time.
A race against the clock
The government’s plan for 2026 aims to have 12 desalination units operating by the start of next summer, with most of them coming online in early 2026. As things stand, nine units are already feeding water into the system, but even that is not enough.
Five of these are permanent desalination plants, located in Dekeleia, Larnaca Airport, Vasilikos, Episkopi, and Kouklia in Paphos, the latter having recently been repaired and returned to operation. They are supplemented by four additional units with a combined daily capacity of 47,000 cubic meters.
These include a unit in Kissonerga, Paphos, producing 12,000 cubic meters per day; mobile units in Moni provided by the United Arab Emirates and operating since last summer; and two more units at Limassol port and along the Garyllis River.
Even with these nine units, officials admit that water demand cannot be fully covered.
Three more, but still not enough
Three additional desalination plants are currently at the tender stage and are expected to provide some relief. One is planned for Episkopi, one for Vasilikos, to be operated by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus, and a third in Ayia Napa.
Together, the three units will have a capacity of 30,000 cubic meters per day and are designed to cover demand in a worst-case scenario. Even then, authorities warn that desalination alone will not be enough to fully meet Cyprus’ water needs.
Leaks, losses and changing habits
That reality has pushed the government to look beyond desalination and tackle long-standing problems in the water system, especially water losses and consumption habits.
Officials estimate that around 40% of water is lost each year due to leaks and the poor condition of aging supply networks. Of that, about 15% is considered unavoidable, but the goal is to bring total losses down to 20%.
The biggest problems are found in communities with outdated infrastructure. To address this, the Council of Ministers has approved €8 million in support for local authorities and regional water bodies to upgrade water supply networks.
Could water get more expensive?
The prolonged pressure on water resources may also reopen the debate on water pricing.
Currently, the Water Development Department supplies water to regional water authorities at €0.82 per cubic meter. Those authorities then charge households higher rates to cover network maintenance and loss-reduction costs. Farmers, meanwhile, buy irrigation water from government projects at subsidized prices to support agriculture.
With water becoming increasingly scarce and costly to produce, officials are now considering whether pricing policies need to be reviewed. A study examining the true cost of water is already under way and is expected to be completed in 2026.
Whether that leads to higher water bills after years of stability remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that Cyprus is once again heading into a summer where every drop will count.
*Read the Greek version here.
