Steady showers over the past four months, overflowing small dams across Cyprus and the best April precipitation average in almost half a century have all seemingly failed to substantially lift the drought repercussions facing the country.
Authorities warned they must remain in a state of water reserves alert as the marked improvement in 2026 has not done much to alleviate the grim circumstances of the unprecedented dry spell, prolonged, more frequent and worsening.
Dams are still two thirds empty, at only 35% of total capacity, giving the Water Development Department no other viable option but to maintain a tight drip on managing reserves as the summer season is well and truly under way.
The situation is described as critical in the framework on the South Stream Master Plan, the backbone of the island’s water supply, as it covers provision needs across most of the country (not Paphos), a fact that is sadly indicative of dire conditions.
Available reserves are currently at 66,3 million cubic metres, despite significant additional inflows of 55,7 million since October 1st.
On the upside, dam capacity has considerably improved this year in comparison to the same period in 2025, where it stood at just 22,9% or 43,3 million cubic metres.
Winter and two thirds of spring did plenty to create a few positives, with the South Stream Master Plan total possible capacity standing at 189,5 million cubic metres.
But recovery is not even or consistent across dams, according to the Water Development Department, with the larger structures standing now at 114 million cubic metres, just over 39% of total capacity as the total for the year has risen to 97,8.
The average inflows are at 56,5 million, compared to a total of just 8,4 in the whole of 2024 and the maximum of 185,5 million cubic metres of water in the really good year of 2019.
35% total capacity is still considered critical in terms of water capacity, with authorities pointing out that should reserves further decline, it would inevitably rising water shortages in 2027 and 2028.
According to a WDD analysis of hydrological circles, the next few years point to a decline in rainfall, which means it should adopt a highly conservative water management reserves policy, as a necessary prevention strategy.
Some district authorities though don’t seem to be helping, consuming significantly more water that the target of 10% horizontal reduction set at the start of the year.
Districts are not conforming to the conservation policies, with Paphos showing a 15% increase in water demand, with Limassol at 7,8. The rest of the districts have dropped in consumption by just 2,6%.
If this trend continues, additional quantities of 17 million cubic metres of water will be needed, squeezing reserves to a hilt.
New desalination units
More good news here at least, with production from such units set to reach 91 million (83 for the South Stream and 8 in Paphos) against 75,6 last year.
By 2028, water provision from desalination units will rise to 105 million cubic metres of water for the South Stream and almost 9 for Paphos, a total of 114 for the year, as mobile units become operational, mostly later this year.
A unit at Limassol Port was integrated into the desalination scheme last month, a new one opens up later in May at Garyllis river, with Episkopi following suit in September and Vassiliko in January 2027, each producing 10 thousand cubic metres of desalinated water on a daily basis.
The floating Yermasoyia desalination unit is expected to become operational in January 2027, producing 20 thousand cubic metres daily, with Mazotos at 40 thousand later next year.