Mazotos residents protest against new desalination plant construction

The Cypriot government is accelerating plans for a new mobile desalination plant in Mazotos, with a capacity of 40,000 cubic meters per day. The Water Development Department has issued a tender, closing on November 17, for marine infrastructure works estimated at 6.69 million euros. The project includes the installation of two underwater pipelines, coastal earthworks, and a seven-meter-wide access road to be completed within three months, with an overall construction timeline of six months.

Local residents, represented by the Initiative Group for the Rescue of the Mazotos Coast, strongly oppose the project, citing concerns over environmental degradation and the destruction of underwater antiquities. The group has collected 500 signatures and is demanding greater transparency and public consultation. A major point of contention is that the residents have already taken legal action against the project, and a court ruling remains pending. The activists have questioned the authorities' haste, arguing that proceeding with construction while a court case is active undermines the judicial process. They have requested a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides to voice these concerns and seek a suspension of activities until the legal dispute is resolved.