Authorities fret over lack of rain

Authorities expressed concern on Friday over the lack of rain so far this year, which will inevitably affect the water supply in coming months.

The director of the water development department Charalambos Hadjipakos said the drought did not come as a surprise after three good years in a row.

“Unfortunately, the water flow in the reservoirs is not good at all this year,” he told Alpha television. “Basically, we are just drawing water from the dams and not putting anything in.”

Hadjipakos said reservoir capacity currently stood at 74 per cent compared with 97 per cent last year and authorities were already working on the scenario that next year will also be bad.

If things worsen, the state could ask desalination plants to increase their production while also utilising water wells they have in reserve.

Hadjipakos said the situation will be assessed at the end of February. Measures will be rolled out if reservoir levels drop below 50 per cent, he said.

At the end of February, the department expects farmers to inform it of their needs for the year to have in mind in case they are forced to reduce the supply.

According to the latest figures released on Friday, rainfall so far this month is only 10 per cent of the average for January.

For the period from October 1 to January 14, rainfall is at 48 per cent of the average.