Cabinet approves 2026 water allocation adjustments for irrigation

The Cyprus Cabinet of Ministers has approved a revised water allocation strategy for 2026, introducing a three-year planning framework for the first time. The plan provides an additional 3.5 million cubic meters of water for irrigation, specifically 2 million cubic meters for the Paphos Great Irrigation Project and 1.5 million cubic meters for the Southern Conveyance Unified Scheme. These supplies are reserved exclusively for professional farmers, with priority given to permanent crops, contingent on the water balance. The Paphos allocation is specifically conditional on the Paphos District Local Government Organisation (DLGO) meeting targets to curb drinking water demand and reduce network losses. Total allocations for 2026 are set at 121.7 million cubic meters for drinking water and 41.2 million cubic meters for irrigation. Officials emphasized that the policy assumes a worst-case hydrological scenario to prevent future supply cuts. However, reports highlight significant risks due to delays in critical desalination infrastructure, particularly the mobile unit at Mazotos currently facing legal challenges. Charalambos Pittokopitis, head of the Paphos DLGO, stated that no cuts to household or business water supply are expected.