Limassol, Cyprus. Cyprus expects desalination plants to cover almost all domestic water demand by next year, Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou said on Monday during a visit to the desalination plant at the port of Limassol. She said desalination currently supplies around 80 per cent of the country’s drinking water, with additional projects due to come online over the next 18 months.
Expansion of desalination capacity
Panayiotou said units due to come to Limassol in the autumn, along with two more planned for 2027, would bring Cyprus close to 100 per cent coverage of its water supply needs.
She said the government inherited five desalination plants built over a period of 25 years and had brought four additional units into operation within two years.
Temporary and permanent units
According to the minister, Cyprus will have 10 desalination units operating for the first time. She described them as temporary measures until four permanent plants are completed in 2029.
Impact on water supply
Panayiotou said increased production had already helped Cyprus avoid domestic water cuts despite pressure on supplies.
She said that when she took office, the dams contained less water than they do today, and credited the government’s overall policy and the efforts of the water development department for preventing water supply cuts.
Project delays in Limassol
Panayiotou said construction of the Limassol unit had taken almost twice as long as originally expected because of unforeseen obstacles, including electricity infrastructure issues.
She said the projects are demanding infrastructure works.
