Monitoring progress and promotion of water demand management policies in Cyprus. Report for Plan Bleu – Regional Activity Centre, under the aegis of the Water Development Department and the Plan Bleu.

Monitoring progress and promotion of water demand management policies in Cyprus.

The study presents the water situation in Cyprus, its current evolution and the likely consequences. It elaborates on the necessity and the expected benefits of water demand management. Sets of indicators and objectives are presented that are essential in the design of the “efficiency plans” announced at the Johannesburg Summit and the «water» section of national sustainable development strategies. It aims to contribute to the Mediterranean reflection on the problem and to regional sharing of experiences about water demand management.

Client: Plan Bleu
Regional Activity Centre, Sophia, Antipolis, France
(under the aegis of the Water Development Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Cyprus)

Region: Cyprus

Type: Research and Development , Water Resources & Flood Management, Environmental Policy

Duration: 01/2007 – 02/20007

Other Partners: –

The main objectives of the National Report, so that it can be useful for the country and for the region were to:

• To inform about the water situation in the country, the current evolution and the likely consequences of the evolution
• To demonstrate that progress is possible and essential in terms of efficiency subject to the implementing of management techniques for WDM
• To carry out awareness-raising about the necessity and the expected benefits of water demand management.
• To help, if need be, the countries to design the “efficiency plans” announced at the Johannesburg Summit and the « water » section of their national sustainable development strategies by accompanying them with sets of indicators and objectives
• To contribute to the Mediterranean reflection on the problem and to regional sharing of experiences about water demand management in relation to the territorial specificities. The priority actions to be introduced in the country in order to improve the collection of basic data and the production of the efficiency index’s various components, accompanied by a cost evaluation for such actions

Main findings and conclusions of the study were:

• The water Regulation Index (average flow of water resources controlled compared to natural irregular flow) for Cyprus is about 70%. This indicator shows the efforts made and the extensive control of water resources by the construction of dams, i.e. the annual security of supply.
• The Exploitation index of renewable natural resources is 42% based on the maximum potential water resources “offered by nature” on average. This is turned to 60% when based on the exploitable ones (70%) because of various technical-economic and environmental constraints.
• The population having a durable access to improved water source and to an improved sanitation system (total, urban, rural) is practically 100%.
• The irrigation network in Cyprus is highly efficient (80-90% efficiency).
• The efficiency index of drinking water use is in the range of 76%, 65%, and 63% for the main cities, the municipalities and the villages respectively.
• The overall range of possible savings through leakage control and increased efficiency of use may result up to 0.018 km3/yr from the future domestic sector alone since irrigation is considered to be already highly efficient.
• Integration of water demand management in the programmes of higher level training and research establishments is low and efforts in this direction should be increased.
• Effective water saving and water conservation awareness campaigns should be a continuous concern to create and maintain appreciation of the value of water and efficient use by the public.
• The institutional and legal framework of water management has to overcome its current fragmentation and jurisdiction problems through the creation of a single entity in order to be in a position to address the serious issues pertaining water management in an efficient and effective manner.