Cyprus’s major dams are expected to run completely dry before summer 2026 even with emergency water restrictions imposed Friday that slash agricultural irrigation by 33% and household supplies by 10%.
The Cabinet approved drastic cuts after the Water Development Department warned that dam reserves had plunged to just 32 million cubic metres—11% of capacity—following a prolonged drought that saw inflows since October reach only 21% of the historical average.
Without exceptionally significant rainfall to reverse the crisis, the Southern Conveyor Project’s major dams will hit zero reserves before the summer 2026 period, forcing Cyprus into unprecedented reliance on desalination plants running at maximum capacity.
The dire forecast triggered a revolt from farmers’ organisations, which voted against the government’s plan at the Water Management Advisory Committee, demanding larger household water cuts and financial compensation for devastating income losses.
Cyprus’s total water reserves stood at just 32 million cubic metres on 23 January—comprising 19.5 million in the Southern Conveyor Project dams and 7.9 million in Paphos dams. Rainfall from 1 October 2025 to 23 January totalled 234.3mm—only 80% of normal levels.
The government prioritised household water whilst imposing painful restrictions across all sectors. Household water supply will receive 103.4 million cubic metres in 2026, down from 114 million in 2025—a 10% reduction deemed necessary to prevent uncontrolled summer cuts.
Agriculture bears the heaviest burden: irrigation water drops to 22.2 million cubic metres from 33 million last year—a 33% slash that has triggered fierce farmer protests.
All farmers’ representatives at the Water Management Advisory Committee opposed the allocation and demanded larger household water cuts, according to PEK General Secretary Christos Papagetrou. Crisis management must be fair and affect all water users, he told Phileleftheros, arguing that agriculture cannot shoulder the crisis alone whilst citizens are called to conserve water “without true water consciousness.”
Farmers are demanding financial compensation for professional farmers’ income losses from the water shortage.
Papagetrou proposed aggressive alternatives: proper treatment of reclaimed water in mountainous areas, utilising inactive boreholes, and planning agricultural desalination facilities using renewable energy. He called for mandatory private desalination plants for hotels, golf courses and water parks, and suggested examining seawater use in swimming pools.
Desalination plants will operate at maximum capacity to compensate for empty dams, with production expected to surge to 85.7 million cubic metres in 2026 from 73.5 million in 2025 and 72.2 million in 2024—a nearly 17% increase in a single year.
The Agriculture Ministry warned that if current conditions and excessive consumption continue, the Southern Conveyor system will show significant deficits during 2026.
The Cabinet was informed of a review window: if inflows exceed 32 million cubic metres for the Southern Conveyor and 11 million for Paphos by 30 April, allocations will be reassessed and additional water released.
The ministry insisted the 10% household reduction won’t affect daily life with rational use and cooperation between the Water Development Department and water authorities. But with demand rising 4-6% annually in recent years, individual responsibility has become critical.
The ministry is launching six emergency measures starting February:
A water conservation campaign from February to May 2026 targets a 10% consumption reduction compared to 2025 levels. The government will distribute water-saving equipment to homes and premises with a budget up to €6 million.
Tourism faces particular scrutiny, with hotel and tourism units’ consumption “increasingly problematic” and “exacerbating water adequacy issues particularly during peak months,” according to the ministry.
Additional measures include water savings in public buildings (despite representing a small percentage of total use), drought guidelines described as “imperative” under water crisis conditions, and additional state subsidies to Provincial Self-Government Organisations for loss reduction.
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