Cyprus receives UAE mobile desalination units to boost water supply
The UAE has provided Cyprus with free mobile desalination units expected to raise daily desalinated water production by 15,000 cubic metres.
Nicosia, Cyprus. The presidential palace said on Thursday that Cyprus’ strategic cooperation with the United Arab Emirates had resulted in the free delivery of mobile desalination units, increasing daily desalinated water production by 15,000 cubic metres.
It said the contribution demonstrated how the Republic of Cyprus’ international partnerships can help address domestic needs and problems.
Water supply plans
Desalinated water has been presented as an increasingly important part of Cyprus’ future water supply, amid lower rainfall in recent years and rising water consumption across the island.
Former agriculture minister Maria Panayiotou said late last year that the government planned to cover Cyprus’ entire drinking water supply through desalination.
She said the aim was to stop using desalination plants only as a reserve or on a case-by-case basis, allowing water stored in reservoirs to be allocated for irrigation.
“We are giving a future to our agriculture by ending the insecurity,” she said.
Concerns over approach
Coastal engineer Xenia Loizidou has criticised the government’s plan to import mobile desalination plants, describing it as an “incoherent panic solution”.
She said the units were “of course a solution”, but added that resolving the water problem required investment in infrastructure and proper management of water uses.
This news item was generated automatically by Cyprus Inform from publicly available materials. Report an error →
