Water cuts during the summer months remain a possibility due to reduced water reserves and increased demand, Agriculture Ministry director general Andreas Gregoriou has said.
Speaking on state radio, Gregoriou said that, based on decisions by the Water Management Advisory Committee and the Council of Ministers, around the same amount of water will be allocated for water supply purposes in 2026 as in 2024.
He clarified that this amount falls around 10% short of actual needs.
A working group has already been set up involving the Water Development Department and the District Local Government Organisations, he said, aimed at managing reserves as effectively as possible and avoiding widespread water cuts.
Gregoriou also defended the application of the environmental levy on water, noting that its implementation began gradually from 2020, focusing on large consumers. He said mechanisms exist to monitor charges, as well as options to arrange payment of debts in instalments.
Referring to the issue of boreholes, he acknowledged that mistakes or omissions may have occurred in applying the relevant regulation, noting the matter will be investigated in cooperation with the competent department. He stressed, however, that water abstraction licence holders knew their obligations.
He rejected comparisons with other water uses, clarifying that facilities such as golf courses, which use recycled water, pay significantly higher environmental levies.