Cyprus is facing a big water problem as summer gets closer. Water reserves are low. Consumption is rising. This could lead to water rationing. Water for 2026 will be the same as 2024. This is about 10% less than needed. A special group will manage water supplies. They want to avoid restrictions.
The government has a plan. This includes a tax on water use. This tax started in 2020. It mainly affects big water users. However, farmers are worried. They say the tax is too much money. Farmers without official irrigation projects are especially concerned.
A difficult issue is paying for water from private wells. This started in 2017. Some farmers must pay a lot of money for past water use. Michalis Lytras is a farming leader. He said this could be very bad for farmers. Farmers might owe much more money now. This is because of inflation and interest. It could be impossible to pay.
The Agriculture Ministry knows water management is hard. They kept the 2026 water level the same as 2024. This is to save water. The new working group will watch water levels. They will share water fairly. This should help prevent water cuts.
Still, farmers are not happy. They think the tax is unfair. This is especially true for retrospective charges. It is also unfair without state irrigation. Investigations are happening. There might be mistakes with the rules for private wells. Some charges could be changed. Talks between the government and farmers are important. Cyprus needs to save water. This is difficult with climate change. The next months will show if the water plan works.