Cyprus has less than a month to complete assessments of water leakage from its supply networks and report findings to the EU, as part of an ambitious overhaul of water governance driven by climate threats and rising demand.
The Water Development Department must assess leakage levels and potential improvements by 12 January 2026 under EU rules on drinking water quality that took effect in Cyprus in July 2023. The assessment must cover suppliers providing at least 10,000 cubic metres per day or serving 50,000 people.
The deadline is the first of several facing water authorities as Cyprus implements sweeping reforms to tackle chronic weaknesses in a sector battered by prolonged droughts, severe flooding and outdated infrastructure.
Economic growth in recent years has driven up demand for water, straining already stretched resources. Ageing infrastructure cannot meet modern needs, whilst the sector faces threats from natural disasters, cyberattacks and pollution.
The reform plan, prepared by the Water Development Department as a central pillar of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, aims to achieve optimal water governance and strengthen efficiency and sustainability across the sector.
New council to coordinate water safety
A Drinking Water Safety Council is expected to be established under 2023 legislation to coordinate the sector. The council will bring together representatives from the health ministry, interior ministry, medical and public health services, the Water Development Department, the state general laboratory, the Cyprus Communities Union and each District Local Government Organisation.
The body will establish coordination procedures between departments and water suppliers, advise the health minister, prepare guidelines for implementing the law and produce reports.
The creation of Provincial Self-Government Organisations under local government reform has made new coordination mechanisms necessary as responsibilities are redistributed.
Looming deadlines
By 12 July 2027, the Water Development Department must assess risks to catchment areas where water is extracted and put management measures in place. The assessment must be repeated every six years.
By 12 January 2029, water suppliers including the department, Provincial Self-Government Organisations and community councils must conduct risk assessments for each water supply system, covering extraction, treatment, storage and distribution. These assessments must also be repeated every six years.
The Medical and Public Health Services Department must assess risks to domestic distribution systems within homes by the same date, with six-yearly reviews.
Water suppliers must also draw up monitoring programmes tailored to each system based on risk assessment results.
New standards for water quality
By 12 January 2026, the Water Development Department and water suppliers must ensure drinking water meets new standards for eight substances including bisphenol-A, chlorates, chlorites, haloacetic acids, microcystin-LR, PFAS compounds and uranium.
The 2020 EU directive on drinking water quality, which Cyprus transposed into law in July 2023, strengthens protection and health standards, improves risk management and increases the resilience of water supply systems. The Medical and Public Health Services Department is the competent authority for implementing the law.
Public information requirements
Water suppliers must provide customers with information at least once a year, either with bills or through digital platforms such as smartphone apps.
This must include details on water quality, the price per litre and cubic metre, household consumption volumes with annual trends where available, a comparison with average household consumption, and a link to further information online.
The Drinking Water Safety Council, working with competent bodies, must create and update datasets on public access to drinking water, risk assessments for catchment areas, monitoring results where standards are exceeded, incidents affecting drinking water that lasted over 10 days and affected at least 1,000 people, and any derogations granted.
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