The government on Thursday called for “a collective effort” to tackle the effects of the drought and the coming water shortages, also announcing a subsidy scheme to get hotels to run their own desalination units easing the pressure on the central water supply system.

“The next days, the next months, will be tough,” said Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou.

“The situation is already difficult. If households are to avoid the consequences of the drought, we need a collective effort: being mindful of every drop of water dripping from our taps,” she told a news conference.

“The more water we save today, the fewer problems we have to face in the future.”

Noting that the government isn’t trying to “sugarcoat” the situation, the minister said authorities are doing what they can to avoid enforcing water cuts come this summer.

“We’re striving so that, in the event cuts are necessary, they will be limited to the extent possible.”

Paphos and Limassol are likely the first cities to feel the impact of the drought – the reason why the measures being taken chiefly target those two urban centres.

Panayiotou went through the list of reasons why the situation has come to this: a drought going on for the past three years, outdated pipelines susceptible to leaks, desalination projects covering just 70 per cent of water supply needs, turning to desalination “incidentally whenever it didn’t rain”, and removing large quantities of water from the damns for water supply, depriving farmers of the scarce resource.

The fire that gutted a desalination plant in Paphos last December made matters even worse, said the minister.

Despite these problems, Panayiotou sought to reassure the public the government has a “comprehensive strategy” in place to end reliance on the weather as far as water supplies go.

One of the measures taken involves gradual cutbacks to water allocated to farmers. In 2024 the cutbacks amounted to 30 per cent; this year it will go up to 50 per cent.

Meantime the government has released an additional €8 million for the self-governing district organisations (EOA) for pipeline upkeep. Losses due to leaks are estimated at 35 to 40 per cent on average.

Another €1 million will likewise be made available for pipeline maintenance for communities lying outside the jurisdiction of the EOA.

But the most important step, according to the minister, is a newly rolled out scheme subsidising the building of small private desalination units for hotels.

Worth €3 million, this type of scheme is being implemented for the first time.

Procedures will be streamlined, so that a permit for such desalination units may be granted within a week of applying.

Panayiotou appealed to all eligible hoteliers to get on board the scheme.

Asked for details, she said a hotel’s own expenditure in having a small desalination plant installed would depend on the capacity of the unit.

The government subsidy will be up to 30 per cent for single desalination units, and up to 50 per cent for a joint development involving more than one applicant.

Other than owning the desalination unit, hoteliers would have the option of leasing it. The minister said that data show that the few hotels currently hooked up to a desalination unit which they lease, do not pay more for the lease than they would for regular water supply fees to the local water boards.

All licensed hotels would be eligible for the scheme.

Weighing in, Deputy Minister for Tourism Costas Koumis said eligible applicants are hotels and tourist accommodation establishments located in coastal areas.

Applicants can apply individually or as a group.

The aim is to make hotels self-sufficient in terms of their water needs.