Cyprus government solves water shortage problem

The government has made the necessary steps to solve the problem of water shortage, an issue which has been affecting Cyprus for decades, President of the Republic of Cyprus Demetris Christofias has stressed.

The President, who inaugurated Tuesday the Waste Processing Plant of
Vathia Gonia, in the Nicosia district, said in his speech that the government has addressed the water problem in a responsible manner.

“We are now in a position to tell the people of Cyprus that one more problem, which has been affecting our country for decades, is heading towards solution”, he stressed.

The President said that by the end of next year, Cyprus will be fully independent from rainfall to cover its water needs.

''Based on the government’s action plan and the measures we are taking, we will not experience again water cuts and we will not be importing water from abroad, as we had to do in 2008”, he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Demetris Eliades, told a press conference that three desalination units are under construction, two of which will fully operate by the end of 2011.

He said that the total water reserves reach now 158 million cubic meters, “which will cover Cyprus’ needs until the end of 2011”.

The Minister explained that by the end of 2011, two of the three new desalination units will start operating, “meaning that Cyprus will no longer be dependent on rain”.