Cyprus reservoir water levels reach historic highs in May

As of May 18, 2026, total water reserves in Cyprus's dams reached 41.6% capacity, a significant increase from 22.3% recorded on the same date last year. May 2026 has set a new record for inflows for the month, with 9,302 thousand cubic meters (K.M.) of water recorded, surpassing the previous record of 8,869 K.M. set in May 2019. In the Paphos district, total reservoir capacity has exceeded 50%. The Mavrokolymbos dam, which was empty in 2025 due to infrastructure damage, is now at 89.8% capacity. The Asprokremmos dam reached 41.1% capacity compared to 22.8% last year, while the Kannavia reservoir rose to 51.8% from 24%. Additionally, the reservoirs of Agia Marina Chrysochous, Argaka, and Pomos overflowed in March. While water levels have improved, officials emphasize that this does not solve long-term water scarcity, though farmers and residents have welcomed the recovery following the repairs to the Mavrokolymbos dam and the Kouklia desalination plant.