Mazotos, Cyprus. Cyprus is moving ahead with expanded desalination capacity as droughts become more frequent, despite this year’s heavy rainfall easing immediate pressure on reservoirs. In Mazotos, a planned mobile desalination unit is facing opposition from the local community council over environmental and archaeological concerns.
Desalination expansion accelerates
Authorities are increasing reliance on desalination as a response to recurring drought conditions in Cyprus. Desalination facilities have been established in several areas, and additional projects are planned.
The recent rainfall came as reservoirs were close to running dry, but the broader trend of more frequent droughts has reinforced the government’s strategy to expand desalination.
Mazotos project faces opposition
Earlier in the week, the community council of Mazotos called on the president to intervene and seek a reconsideration of plans for a mobile desalination unit in the area.
The proposed unit in Mazotos is described as mobile or temporary and is planned to have a capacity of 20,000 cubic metres of water per day, expandable to 40,000 cubic metres.
Residents argue that a facility of that size cannot be considered temporary or easily relocatable. The largest permanent desalination plants in Cyprus produce 60,000 cubic metres per day.
Local residents are seeking to block the project, expressing concern that the plant could remain in place for the foreseeable future.
Official definition of mobile and permanent units
According to the working definition of the Water Development Department, a permanent desalination facility is “a large, fixed facility built to provide a long-term, reliable water supply for cities or regions, with high output and infrastructure designed to operate for decades.”
The department defines a mobile or temporary desalination unit as “a smaller, portable system that can be quickly deployed to address short-term needs – such as droughts, emergencies, or remote locations – offering flexibility and speed but at a lower capacity and higher cost per unit of water.”
Project preparations and legal challenge
For the Mazotos facility, the government has completed environmental studies, requested expropriations including for access roads to the site, and started the tender process.
Officially, the target is for the facility to begin operating by the summer of 2027.
The Mazotos community council has challenged the cabinet’s decision, and the matter will be decided by the administrative court.
Broader policy direction
In response to questions from the Cyprus Mail, the Water Development Department provided an overview indicating that authorities are proceeding rapidly with the use of desalination.
