Cyprus’ reservoirs still only a quarter full despite heavy rain

Cyprus’ reservoirs are still only a quarter full, according to data released by the water development department, despite heavy rain hitting swathes of the island over the last two weeks.

In total, there are 73.6 million cubic metres of water in Cyprus’ reservoirs at present – 25.3 per cent of total capacity – which is just over half the figure recorded this time last year, when there were 137 million cubic metres of water in the reservoirs, meaning they were 47,1 per cent full at the time.

Broken down by area, those linked to the southern conveyor are now just 24 per cent full, compared to a figure of 43.8 per cent recorded a year ago. Reservoirs in the Paphos area are faring the best, being currently 30.2 per cent full, though they were 55.2 per cent full a year ago.

Reservoirs near Polis Chrysochous are currently 23.3 per cent full, less than half the figure of 49 per cent recorded last year, while the starkest difference was recorded in the Nicosia district, where reservoirs are currently just 8.9 per cent full – a little over a sixth of last year’s figure of 47.4 per cent.

In particular, the Vyzakia reservoir in the Nicosia district has just 75,000 cubic metres of water in it and is as such just 4.4 per cent full. This time a year ago, it held ten times more water.

Reservoir figures have been largely down on last year’s numbers for most of the year, and this prompted the water development department’s senior executive engineer Elena Foinikaridou to say in August that Cyprus’ five seawater desalination units are continuing to operate at full capacity.

This, she said, reduces the need for reservoir water to be purified and used.

She added that the government drew up its current “water allocation scenario” in April, and that the scenario foresees various eventualities and will allocate water to those who need it accordingly from Cyprus’ various sources, in line with availability.

“Strict adherence to the scenario is the basic tool for the rational management of the available quantities of water,” she said.

In terms of consumer usage, she said there has been a “slight increase” in water consumption compared to last year.

She said this could be down to a number of factors, including Cyprus’ growing population, a reduction in the number of holidays being taken abroad by people living on the island, and increased temperatures.

With this in mind, she said that a total of 23.3 million cubic metres of water had been used for irrigation in the first seven months of the year – a 3.5 per cent increase compared to 2022 – but that the relative amount of water being used for irrigation is expected to fall in time due to water cuts which have been imposed since May.

This, she said, will have the knock-on effect of reduced harvests in autumn. She also said that the water supply to year-round crops and greenhouses has been “greatly reduced”.