Paphos residents will receive their water bills during the first ten days of May, head of the Paphos EOA Charlambos Pittokopitis said on Wednesday, adding that bills have already been sent to other municipalities.

Addressing a number of hiccups in water services for the district’s residents, Pittokopitis, who since the local government reform also functions as head of the newly-minted Paphos central water authority, said the water department is operating in a “putting-out-fires” mode, since the groundwork for such a major reform had never been laid.

The new entity of the Paphos central water board is mitigating [bureaucratic] problems as they arise, he said while also working to carry out basic infrastructure works for improved service.

In addition to delayed billing, the service is grappling with licensing problems arising from personnel issues, such as training employees to manage the online system, and the “work culture” of staff seconded from various other services.

The operation of the so-called “Ippodamos” electronic web portal has improved greatly and staff had recently been hired, Pittokopitis said, including an architect and civil engineers who are in the process of being trained to handle the licensing matters.

However, he acknowledged, licenses are not currently being granted with desired speed.

The EOA head reiterated that desalination units to be procured from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) must be operational by early July at the latest, and the desalination unit planned for Peyia is expected to be ready towards the end of November or early December.