Nicosia district government urges targeted measures instead of blanket water cuts

The Nicosia district government (EOA) on Monday proposed targeted measures to curb water overconsumption and reduce losses in the water supply network, expressing reservations about implementing a horizontal water supply cut of 10 per cent.

It said it is closely monitoring discussions around proposed cuts and emphasised that experience from 2008 to 2010 showed that such measures were not only inconvenient for citizens but often accompanied by an increase in unbilled water of 7-10 percentage points once normal flow resumed, limiting the expected benefits.

“Today, in the Nicosia district, unbilled water amounts to approximately 20 per cent, and it is estimated that under conditions of intermittent water supply, this percentage (if normal flow is restored) may increase further due to the additional strain on the networks,” the statement adds.

The government suggested a pricing policy that targets overconsumption, alongside raising public awareness and systematically investing in reducing network losses, as ways to achieve substantial water savings.

It also noted that austerity measures such as intermittent water supply increase operational demands, requiring more frequent network operations and reinforcement of human resources, while potentially undermining the effectiveness of investments in modern technologies, including systems for detecting hidden leaks, which require continuous water flow.