The island’s water resources are under severe pressure
Cyprus is facing one of the most severe water crises in Europe. According to a new report by the Audit Office, the island’s average temperature is rising nearly twice as fast as the global average. Rainfall is steadily decreasing. And the country’s annual water availability has fallen well below the international threshold for extreme scarcity.
Each person in Cyprus now has access to just 390 cubic metres of water per year. That’s about 1/6th of an Olympic swimming pool. Your 390 cubic metres includes not just what you drink or use at home, but the water needed to grow your food, run factories, irrigate farmland, and keep public infrastructure running.
For context, the UN defines extreme water scarcity as anything below 500 m³ per person. Cyprus passed that limit a long time ago.
Existing infrastructure isn’t enough
The situation isn’t new. The country has spent years investing in dams, desalination plants, and wastewater treatment. But the Audit Office report highlights the same recurring issues: fragmented management, slow implementation, and a failure to make the most of recycled water. Meanwhile, Cyprus continues to top the EU’s water exploitation index, using over 70% of its renewable freshwater supply each year.
President Christodoulides recently announced that the crisis has been “solved” for 2025, thanks to a donation of 15 mobile desalination units from the United Arab Emirates. The gesture, rooted in diplomatic ties, is a welcome one. But the solution is temporary. The units will buy Cyprus time, not fix the underlying problem.
Proven solutions from around the world
So what will?
Experts point to a mix of innovation, practical change, and policy reform:
- Floating solar panels, which reduce evaporation from reservoirs and generate power for desalination, are already in use in India and Singapore.
- In Israel, over 90% of wastewater is treated and reused, compared to far lower rates in Cyprus.
- Spain has led the way in smart irrigation systems that cut water use without hurting crops. Between 2002 and 2016, irrigation water use fell by 14%, and in some regions, smart systems achieved savings of up to 20%. In Barcelona, smart public irrigation systems also cut municipal water bills by 25%.
- Rainwater harvesting is becoming more common in places like rural Australia and southern Italy.
These aren’t futuristic ideas. They’re real solutions being used right now. And they show that it’s not just about spending more money- it’s about using what we already have more wisely.
Individual action still matters
That includes individual action. From fixing household leaks to watering gardens at night, there are small changes that add up:
- A leaking tap can waste over 100 gallons a day.
- Swapping a standard toilet for a low-flush model can save around 12 gallons per person per day.
- WaterSense-labelled showerheads save households around 2,700 gallons per year.
- Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth saves up to 5 gallons a day.
Collectively, these actions have been shown to reduce household water consumption by over 8% in just six months. That’s not just saving water, but saving you money, too.
The push for low-flow taps, rethinking traditional lawns, and reducing water use during dishwashing or toothbrushing aren’t about guilt- they’re about stretching a limited resource. Water doesn’t have to be a luxury, but it does need to be treated like the finite thing it is.
A new water culture for Cyprus
Commissioner for the Environment Antonia Theodosiou recently said we need a new water culture in Cyprus, where conservation isn’t just something we do during a drought, but something we live by. That means policies that match the urgency of the crisis. It also means valuing water the way we value clean air, reliable electricity, or safe roads.
The good news? We’re not out of time. But we do need to act like the clock is ticking, because it is.
Also read: Climate crisis deepens Cyprus water threat, new report warns
