The government of Cyprus says solving a serious water shortage is now its most important task. It has announced a plan costing many millions of euros. The main idea is to build many more desalination factories. These factories remove salt from seawater to make it drinkable. This urgent plan comes because experts say 2025 will be the driest year on the island in over 100 years.
Cyprus is experiencing its worst long-term drought ever. This is a big problem for farmers and for people's water at home. The Agriculture Minister, Maria Panayiotou, said, "2025 will be the worst year since 1901." Because of this, the government is moving quickly. It will build at least seven new desalination factories in key areas. They have a budget of over €200 million for this, with most of the money for buying the desalinated water.
The plan is part of a bigger EU-funded program for Cyprus. Officials say the program is going well, with many projects already started. The government is also making it easier for private companies to build desalination units and is fixing old water pipes.
However, not everyone agrees with this plan. Some people, like a Green Party politician, are worried about the environment. They say the salty waste from the factories could harm the sea and fish. The government answers that all new factories will follow strict environmental rules. They say the risk of having no water is a bigger problem.
This situation shows that Cyprus must adapt to a drier climate. The country's future depends on finding sustainable solutions for water.