Cyprus has a big water problem right now. This is strange because a lot of rainwater is wasted. Dams are only 12% full. The government will spend a lot of money to buy desalinated water. However, summer could bring water limits. Recent heavy rain, like from Storm Byron, shows we do not save water well.
The situation is surprising. After Storm Byron brought rain, Cyprus lost much water. This water could have filled our dams. Our cities are built to drain water quickly. New buildings have hard surfaces. This sends rain into drains fast. It does not allow water to be collected. This is bad for dry Cyprus. Heavy rain happens more often now.
President Nikos Christodoulides said water is very important. He said it is not a dream, but real life. The country will spend €142-147 million in 2026. This is for buying desalinated water. This is 23% more than last year. Buying desalinated water is a costly fix. It takes money from better ways to save water. Also, new buildings do not have to collect rain. This is a chance to save water that is missed.
Water officials know the water levels are low. A special group will manage water. They want to stop water limits in summer. A tax on water use started in 2020. It is now for big users. Officials are also checking rules for wells. They worry about bad use of underground water.
A lot of rainwater is lost. A small paved area can lose 31,000 litres yearly. In wetter areas, it is 40,000 litres. A highway alone loses 80 million litres each year. This is very wasteful. We need 10% more water than we have.
Cyprus recently had a meeting about the environment. This was a chance to show our water problems. Climate change was discussed. Cyprus's water shortage was a good example. Cyprus must stop just buying water. It needs to plan better for the future. Rain is a resource, not just a problem.