Nicosia:Significant pressures on Cyprus's water resources have been identified by the European Commission, linked to factors such as water scarcity, abstraction, and agricultural pollution as outlined in a recent assessment on the implementation of EU water legislation.

According to Cyprus News Agency, the Commission released assessments for Member States that had not submitted their data in time for the February 2025 reports. These assessments include Cyprus, as well as Bulgaria, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Portugal, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

The Commission's detailed document on Cyprus evaluates the third River Basin Management Plan and the second Flood Risk Management Plan under both the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive. The findings reveal that Cyprus's limited water resources are further strained by rising temperatures, prolonged droughts, and increasing demands from households, agriculture, and tourism.

The assessment highlights that Cyprus is among the Member States with the highest Water Exploitation Index levels. However, it also notes the country's investments in a management system that includes dams, seawater desalination, wastewater treatment, and water reuse initiatives.