Water levels in reservoirs drop dramatically

Water levels in the island’s reservoirs have dropped to 18% or 49.2 million cubic metres of the total capacity, compared with 36.1% or 98.8 m. cubic metres in the corresponding period last year.

According to data released by the Water Development Department, present water capacity at Kouris reservoir, the biggest reservoir with a capacity of 115 million cubic metres, stood at 12.2% at the end of July (14 MCM) compared with 35.1% (40 MCM) in the same period in 2006.

In Asprokremmos, the second biggest reservoir, with a capacity of 52.3 MCM, water capacity is 26.3% (13.7 MCM) compared with 45% (23.5 MCM) during the same period last year.

Water reserves in the third biggest reservoir at Evretou, with a capacity of 24 MCM, have reached 28% (6.7 MCM) compared with 38.7% (9.3 MCM) the same time last year.

The total inflow of water since October 1st 2006 at the biggest reservoirs reached at Kouris 10.6 MCM, Asprokremmos 6 MCM and Evretou 1.1 MCM.

In the past decade, the highest inflow of water was recorded during the period 2001-2002 with 167.9 MCM and during the period 2003-2004 with 150.5 CMC. The lowest inflow of water was recorded during 2005-2006 with 24 MCM and during 1996-1997 with 24.9 MCM.

The inflow of water during 2006-2007 was 38.4 MCM so far.

Temperatures on Wednesday are expected to drop by one degree to 39 degrees Centigrade in the capital, to reach normal levels for this time of the year as of Thursday (37 degrees Centigrade in the capital). A heat wave has hit Cyprus in the past several days, causing occasional blackouts across the island as electricity demand bordered production capacity.

Demand in electricity stood at 1,019 Megawatts at 1330 local time on Wednesday with the total available production being 1,038 Megawatts.

The highest demand was recorded at 1245 and reached 1,021 Megawatts.