The sewage treatment plant in Mia Milia is to be upgraded, following the announcement of a tender signed by Turkish Cypriot Nicosia mayor Mehmet Harmanci on Sunday.

Harmanci said the upgrades are “of considerable importance in terms of the environment” and will allow for the old water treatment facility to be “rehabilitated”, while sewage brought on tankers will now be treated at the newer plant, which was opened in 2014.

Sewage brought on tankers will also therefore be treated with “membrane technology”, he said.

The project has been funded by the European Union and will cost a total of 40 million TL (€1.1m).

Harmanci added that he is “not leaving a single inch for slacking”.

The sewage treatment plant in Mia Milia serves Nicosia as a whole, with the United Nations having hailed it as an example of bicommunal cooperation when the new plant was opened in 2014.

“Since the beginning of its operation in the year 1980, the plant has been a perfect example of the bicommunal cooperation between sewage engineers from both sides, with the main objective the provision of the best possible service to both communities in Nicosia,” they said.

They had added in opening the new plant in 2014, “the two communities of Nicosia have placed Cyprus at the forefront of wastewater treatment in Europe.”