The Cypriot government has announced plans to subsidise desalination plants at hotels to help tackle worsening water shortages. The move aims to ensure a stable water supply during peak tourism seasons, when millions of visitors put pressure on the island’s dwindling reserves.
Water levels in Cyprus’ 108 dams have dropped alarmingly low following the second driest winter in a decade. The country’s water supply system is also struggling due to excessive demand and leaks, with losses estimated at 40%.
Agriculture and Environment Minister Maria Panayiotou said the government will allocate €3 million over the next two years to support hotels in building desalination plants. Additional measures will simplify and speed up the process for key sectors like agriculture and tourism to construct small-scale desalination facilities.
To further address the crisis, Cyprus will invest €8 million in repairing and upgrading pipe infrastructure to reduce water leaks. Meanwhile, four new mobile desalination units will be operational by October, producing 30,000 cubic metres of fresh water daily.
The country already has four permanent desalination plants generating 235,000 cubic metres of drinkable water per day, but a fifth plant remains offline due to fire damage. Panayiotou has stated that Cyprus must significantly expand desalination capacity over the next decade.
Despite these efforts, Cyprus continues to rely on its extensive dam network, which is now at only 24.6% capacity, compared to 47.2% in 2024. Tourism, a key economic sector, contributes 13.5% to GDP, with arrivals surpassing 4 million last year.
