Newsroom
A report by Apostolos Tomaras in Kathimerini examined a long-standing issue concerning the use of treated wastewater across Cyprus. The topic has returned to the forefront of public debate in recent months due to declining water supplies for both drinking water and irrigation.
Notably, the President of the Nicosia District Local Government Organisation (EOA), Constantinos Yiorkatzis, has repeatedly emphasized the capital’s poor performance in making use of treated wastewater for irrigation. While water losses from ageing distribution networks are estimated at around 40%, more than 55% of treated wastewater is reportedly not being used. These significant volumes, combined with desalination capacity, could free up dam water for domestic supply, while treated wastewater could help ease pressure on the agricultural sector.
Reclaimed water is not “wasted” water
In its response to the Kathimerini report, the Water Development Department (WDD) stressed that making use of reclaimed water is not simply a matter of transporting it from a treatment plant to a field. It requires suitable water quality, continuous monitoring, licensing, risk management, sufficient agricultural demand, and, most importantly, the necessary infrastructure for transport, storage, and distribution.
The Department also noted that it is not claiming that all opportunities for further utilisation have been exhausted.
Full response
At a time when every cubic metre of water is particularly valuable, public discussion about the use of reclaimed water is not only justified but essential. However, it must be based on accurate information so as not to create the false impression that large quantities of water are simply left unused or “wasted.”
The key point is that the direct sale of reclaimed water for irrigation does not, on its own, reflect the full extent of its utilisation. Significant quantities are used indirectly, primarily through aquifer recharge. The purified groundwater is then extracted and used in agriculture. This is an organised water management practice, not a loss of water. It represents a meaningful form of water reuse with both environmental and water resource benefits.
The figures illustrate this clearly. In 2023, excluding the special case of Mia Milia, the WDD received and managed approximately 28.74 million cubic metres of reclaimed water. Of this amount, around 25.71 million cubic metres were utilised either directly or indirectly, equivalent to approximately 89.5%. In 2024, production increased to approximately 31.40 million cubic metres, while total direct and indirect utilisation reached approximately 28.14 million cubic metres, or about 89.6%. In simple terms, water that is not directly billed to farmers through the irrigation network is not necessarily lost. For example, when it is directed to recharge aquifers in Ezousa or Akrotiri, it is naturally stored underground, replenishes groundwater reserves, helps reduce seawater intrusion, and can later be, and is, used.
The Department emphasised that the use of reclaimed water is not a straightforward process of moving water from a treatment plant to farmland. It requires appropriate quality standards, continuous monitoring, licensing, risk management, sufficient agricultural demand, and, above all, infrastructure for transportation, storage, and distribution. These conditions are essential to ensure safe and responsible use.
The Mia Milia treatment plant is a separate case. In 2024, it produced approximately 11.83 million cubic metres of reclaimed water. This volume is excluded from the figures above because there is currently no integrated government-operated system under the WDD for receiving, transporting, storing, and distributing this water. Making use of this infrastructure requires both technical and institutional coordination, which the Department says it is advancing in cooperation with the Nicosia District Local Government Organisation and other relevant stakeholders.
The same principle applies to references to economic losses. The potential market value of a volume of reclaimed water does not automatically represent an actual financial loss unless the costs of infrastructure, seasonal demand, technical constraints, and the requirements for safe disposal are also taken into account.
The WDD stressed that it does not claim all opportunities for expanding reclaimed water use have already been exploited. On the contrary, it is promoting projects and solutions aimed at replacing increasing amounts of dam water and groundwater with reclaimed water. However, this must be done through careful planning, technical documentation, and safe implementation, not through oversimplified interpretations that distort the real picture.
In a country facing prolonged drought, the Department concluded, the objective should be neither to underestimate the challenges nor to present an overly optimistic picture. Instead, the focus should be on presenting the facts clearly while working towards greater water reuse, increased transparency, and more effective management of every available water resource.
