Water situation in the dams still dire

Despite the rains, water levels in the island’s dams remain exceedingly low, officials again warned on Monday.

Total water inside the reservoirs comes to 39.9 million cubic metres – or 13.7 per cent of total storage capacity. At this time last year, the dams held 26 per cent of capacity.

The island’s largest reservoir at Kouris currently holds just 14 million cubic metres (mcm) – just shy of 12.2 per cent of its capacity.

Over the last three days, a mere 0.24 mcm trickled into the dam. And since last October, overall just 3.3 mcm has flowed into Kouris.

Asprokremmos dam holds 12.46 per cent of capacity, compared to 27.85 per cent at the same time last year.

Evretou fares slightly better – at 17.88 per cent of capacity.

Marios Hadjicostis, a functionary at the Water Development Department (WDD) told Phileleftheros newspaper that last year, when overall water storage was at 26 per cent, “we still said it was low”.

He added: “Unfortunately we won’t even reach last year’s levels – impossible.”

The official said the water situation is one of the worst on record.

“This happens about once in a hundred years. This rain season, we won’t get enough quantities that would surpass last year’s.

“We’re already in mid-February. And from March onward, hardly any water flows into the dams.”

Cyprus is going through its fourth consecutive year of drought.

At Kouris dam, the dire situation is demonstrated by the full emergence of a small church, which normally is fully submerged by the water.