Cyprus maintains strict water management despite recent rainfall

Recent rainfall has brought a temporary influx of approximately 140,000 cubic meters of water into Cyprus's reservoirs, with the Kouris dam receiving about 118,000 cubic meters. Despite this unexpected August precipitation, the Water Development Department (WDD) has confirmed that the national water management plan will remain unchanged. Officials emphasized that these inflows, while beneficial for farmers by reducing irrigation cycles, are not historically unprecedented; for instance, inflows in the summer of 2019 were double the current amount.

Currently, total dam storage stands at 38.9%, with the critical Southern Pipeline system at 36.1%, hovering just above the 35% safety threshold. Yianna Oikonomidou of the WDD warned against complacency, noting that current planning models extend through the end of 2028. Continued water conservation, loss reduction in networks, and the strengthening of desalination plants remain essential. Authorities maintain that without prudent management, the country faces a significant risk of severe water shortages in the 2027 and 2028 periods.