Cyprus is preparing for water supply cuts in 2026, as a prolonged drought strains the island’s resources, according to plans revealed by the Water Development Department (WDD).
Limassol and Famagusta will be the first districts affected, with water restrictions beginning in February 2026, followed by Paphos in April and Nicosia and Larnaca in May.
The forecasts assume continued drought conditions into 2026, no allocation of water for irrigation, and exclude any potential contribution from planned mobile desalination units.
WDD officials warn that Limassol and Paphos are already at high risk of failing to meet daily drinking water needs during peak periods in 2025, particularly during summer and autumn months.
The biggest problem expected during the year relates to meeting daily drinking water demand in the Limassol district, according to the WDD.
The Kouris dam, which can serve four districts (Limassol, Nicosia, Larnaca and Famagusta), will have its water extraction limited to preserve supplies for Limassol, which has no alternative dam sources.
Limassol is projected to face a water deficit of 1 million cubic metres per month from February 2026, increasing to 1.6 million cubic metres during summer months. Famagusta will experience shortages of 0.2 million cubic metres monthly from February, while Nicosia and Larnaca will see deficits beginning in May 2026, reaching 1-1.4 million cubic metres during summer and autumn.
To address the crisis, authorities are installing mobile desalination units at Garyllis (10,000 cubic metres/day), Limassol port (10,000 cubic metres/day) and Moni (10,000 cubic metres/day) to bolster Limassol’s water supply by approximately 756,000 cubic metres monthly. Installation is expected to be completed during 2026.
Additional measures include expanding the capacity of the Episkopi desalination plant with a temporary unit producing 10,000 cubic metres daily.
In Paphos, where water demand peaks during the tourist-heavy summer months, a mobile desalination unit with 10,000 cubic metres daily capacity will be installed in Kissonerga by early 2026, adding 3.24 million cubic metres annually.
Authorities are also developing a rapid filtration unit at Evretou dam to supply the Polis Chrysochous area by summer 2026, initially producing 1,500 cubic metres daily with expansion capacity to 3,000 cubic metres.
The WDD is implementing projects to improve water supply in 60 communities that rely on local boreholes or springs, including utilising 18 boreholes in Nicosia, seven in Limassol, five in Paphos and two in Larnaca.
The WDD announced last Friday that hotels in Cyprus can secure permits for small-scale desalination units within a week and have them installed before the peak tourist season. The government is providing financial support to hotels according to daily drinking water production capacity.
We learned today that the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, is traveling to Abu Dhabi to discuss the possibilities of cooperation with the National Energy Company of the United Arab Emirates (TAQA). Her visit aims to explore the prospect of installing mobile desalination plants in Cyprus, with the aim of enhancing the availability of drinking water.
