Water runoff into the island’s dams saw a substantial uptick in recent days, although the overall situation remains precarious, a former official told the Cyprus Mail on Tuesday.

Over the past four days alone, approximately 3.3 million cubic metres (mcm) flowed into the reservoirs – bringing total storage up to 19.8 per cent of capacity on Tuesday. On the same date last year, storage was at 25.8 per cent.

So far this hydrological year – measured from the beginning of October of one calendar year to the end of September of the next calendar year – around 36.8 mcm flowed into the dams.

This compares to just 18.6 mcm of runoff in the 2024-2025 hydrological year, a drought, and to 24.7 mcm for 2023-2024 – also a drought.

Related Articles

“If rainfall in March is at normal levels, then overall precipiration will be around average this hydrological year,” said Kyriacos Kyrou, former director of the Water Development Department (WDD).

If that happens, he added, storage in the reservoirs will likely reach 75 mcm – like last year.

“Right now, we’re almost average in terms of precipitation.”

In years of average precipitation, actual runoff is around 80 per cent of the average runoff into the reservoirs.

But if precipitation reaches, say, 15 per cent above average, that usually translates into 130 per cent of average runoff.

And when precipitation is as low as 50 to 60 per cent of average, hardly any water flows into the dams.

Cyprus relies on desalination for approximately 70 per cent of its drinking water supply, making it critical for household consumption, industry, and tourism.

Current estimates for annual consumption (excluding irrigation) range at 115 mcm.

As for irrigation – where farmers face water cutbacks – the problem persists. The issue is with inflow into the southern conveyor, which feeds the Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol and Famagusta districts.

At the moment, the southern conveyor – which includes Kouris dam, the island’s largest – holds 16.7 per cent of capacity with 31.6 mcm of water.

The threshold, so that no cutbacks are enforced, is about 48 mcm, said Kyrou.

As for the Paphos and Polis Chrysochous segments of the grid, irrigation needs will probably be met by the rainfall – but only just.