Containers carrying mobile desalination plants from the United Arab Emirates started arriving at Moni power plant on Monday afternoon, but in a surprise move one of them will now be installed in Paphos.

The containers were unloaded at Larnaca port in the morning, in the presence of Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou, who said 12 units would be sent to Limassol and one to Paphos.

The Cyprus News Agency reported that once unpacked, the arduous process of installing the desalination units would begin.

At the same time, works are underway by Water Development Department staff to install the pipelines.

Once up and running, the units will be able to produced a total of 13,650 cubic metres of water per day.

Panayiotou said that installation works would last about a month and that the water produced would be directed to the Limassol water supply system.

Meanwhile, mobile desalination plants are already being installed at Garyllis and the new port in Limassol.

Earlier on Monday, Panayiotou told the CyBC that “the biggest unit was destined for Paphos”.

This was a surprise to many, coming, as it did, in the wake of persistent statements by the ministry’s permanent secretary that “technical issues” raised by UAE experts precluded the placement of any units in that district.

The Paphos unit, with a capacity of 1,350 cubic metres daily, is to be installed in Kouklia, the minister said.

The remaining units, with a total capacity of 13,650 cubic metres daily, are to be installed in Limassol.

Questioned about what had intervened to effect this change in plans, Panayiotou said that “since the start of planning it had been decided that the units would be allocated according to urgency of need”.

“All districts are of equal concern to the ministry,” she added.

The minister declined to comment on previous statements by the ministry that “technical issues” prevented the installation of units in Paphos.

Permanent secretary Andreas Gregoriou had previously stated that all units were destined for Limassol and had to be installed as a single plant in Moni, on land belonging to the island’s electricity authority, as “the necessary infrastructure” was in place at that location.

Paphos authorities had been up in arms over the decision when it had been first announced and had pressed the ministry over the matter, which led to its being taken up in Parliament last week.

In response Gregoriou repeatedly assured that boreholes would be sufficient to cover the Paphos district’s needs until such as time as two desalination units already planned previously in Kouklia and Kissonerga would begin to operate.

However, farmers in the district, as well as residents of tourist areas, notably Peyia, had been vocal about the unsatisfactory nature of these assurances.

“It is a very concerning and puzzling turn of events and we are trying to fathom what went on. We are not at all satisfied,” Akamas mayor Marinos Lambrou had told the Cyprus Mail. 

Panayiotou had earlier announced that the desalination units would begin providing water in June.

In addition to desalination units already under proceedings, the government is to construct a further two permanent desalination units, one in Limassol at the Garyllis river outlet, and one in Kouklia, which are expected to be completed within the next two years, she also said.

The total of four units projected for Paphos and Limassol will provide 25,000 cubic metres of water daily.

The two latest units to be constructed once approved, will be powered by renewable energy and will provide a total of 120,000 cubic metres of water per day, a quantity that would “definitively solve” Cyprus’ water issue, Panayiotou previously assured.

The minister said desalination will now be a permanent fixture for the island.

“Desalination will be used continuously, whether it rains or not. It is a conscious decision to ensure that there will be water in the reservoirs for our farmers,” she said.