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Cyprus to install new mobile desalination units amid water crisis
Confronting recurring droughts, declining reservoir levels, and the specter of climate scarcity, Cyprus is accelerating its plan to expand desalination capacity. Three new mobile desalination units are slated for installation in Episkopi, Vasilikos, and Ayia Napa by summer 2026. Simultaneously, a new permanent facility is planned for eastern Limassol, and the aging Dhekelia plant will be replaced.
Currently, five permanent desalination plants supply 235,000 cubic meters of fresh water daily. The mobile units will add an additional 10,000 m³ each, helping buffer stress during peak tourism and dry seasons. Existing mobile units in Moni, Kissonerga, Garyllis, and Limassol Port will collectively provide 47,000 m³/day by early 2026. The government estimates each new mobile unit will cost approximately 3 million annually to operate.
This strategy is not just reactive, it reflects a longer-term shift in Cyprus’s water planning. Leaks, aging pipe infrastructure (with losses estimated at 40 %), and dependency on rainfall make the country vulnerable. The expansion of desalination aims to stabilize water supply, especially in tourist zones that generate heavy spikes in demand.
This move is a necessary, if somewhat belated, adaptation to a harsher climate reality. Cyprus can no longer treat water as a reliably abundant resource, its hydrology and weather patterns are shifting. The deployment of mobile units is smart: they’re flexible, faster to deploy, and can respond to localized demand surges. But the government must ensure that the long-term cost burden does not fall disproportionately on residents or small users.
Equally important is parallel investment in reducing systemic waste, upgrading pipelines, preventing leaks, and improving demand management. Without that, desalination may become a band-aid rather than a structural fix. It’s heartening to see concrete action now; in a water-scarce Mediterranean, the difference between plan and paralysis can mean real hardship
Market Cyprus - News Service
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