Nicosia, Cyprus. Cyprus’ Water Development Department said rainfall over the past three days has benefited water reserves, but more rain is needed for the country to move out of drought conditions.
Reservoir levels and recent inflows
WDD senior officer Yianna Economidou said Cyprus’ dams currently hold 34 million cubic metres of water, or 11.8 per cent of total capacity of 335 million cubic metres.
She said the past three days of rainfall added 2.4 million cubic metres to reservoirs, with half collected in dams in the Paphos district.
Need for further precipitation
Economidou said further substantial rainfall is needed to fill reservoirs, adding that the land must first be thoroughly saturated before water can reach the dams.
She said rainwater flowing into the sea should not be viewed as a loss, as it replenishes underground aquifers, contributes to the overall water balance and acts as a natural defence against brackish water.
Water management projects and supply measures
Economidou said the WDD has more than €200 million worth of water management projects under way to improve efficiency and assess the expansion of spillways and dams.
She said the projects include pipeline construction, water treatment facilities and irrigation works.
Economidou said dams continue to supply drinking water, while irrigation relies on recycled water and boreholes, which also help offset evaporation during the hot summer months.
She added that additional wells are being drilled in a joint effort with the geological survey department.
How do you think Cyprus should prioritise water management measures while dam levels remain low?