The heavy rainfall of recent days has brought significant relief to Cyprus’s water reserves, turning this March into one of the most productive months of the past decade.
In just three days, the island’s major dams received 12.3 million cubic metres of water — a volume equivalent to the total annual output of a desalination plant with a capacity of 34,000 cubic metres per day. A number that vividly illustrates the importance of these rains.
The Southern Conveyor dams, which form the backbone of the country’s strategic water network, received 6.2 million cubic metres, significantly boosting reserves. Under the Unified Southern Conveyor Plan, stored volume now stands at 42.1 MCM, at 22.2% capacity.
Island-wide, total dam capacity stands at 26.9% — an improvement over last year’s 24.7%. The Kouris dam also shows an upward trajectory, holding 27.9 MCM (24.3%) versus 23.1 MCM a year ago.
Total March inflows have already reached 20.7 MCM, ranking this as the second-best March for water inflow in the past ten years. The highest was March 2019, with 32.3 MCM.
Despite the optimism, officials remain cautious. Climate variability does not allow complacency, and water management must continue to be prudent, particularly as the dry summer approaches.
