Nicosia: Water reserves in Cyprus have dropped to a critical level, now standing at only 17.4% of the total capacity of the dams. This alarming statistic was reported by the Water Development Department, which recorded the latest data on July 25. Just a year ago, on the same date, reserves were significantly higher at 36.1%.
According to Cyprus News Agency, the current water inflow status is troubling, with no inflow recorded during the 24-hour data collection period. From October 1, 2024, to the present, the total inflow amounted to only 18.66 million cubic meters. This situation mirrors a similar crisis approximately a decade ago, when between October 2015 and September 2016, only 17.91 million cubic meters of water flowed into the dams.
The Kouris River Dam, the largest dam in Cyprus with a capacity of 115 million cubic meters, highlights the severity of the situation. On July 25, the dam was filled to just 15.2% of its capacity, a significant decrease from 32.5% on the same day in 2024.
Additional challenges are faced by other dams across the island. The Mavrokolympos Dam in Paphos has remained empty since January due to a malfunction. Similarly, the Vyzakia Dam’s reserves stand at 0.8% of its 1.69 million cubic meters capacity. The Achna Dam is also experiencing low reserves, with only 5.3% of its 6.8 million cubic meters capacity filled.