THE AGRICULTURE Minister yesterday warned local authorities to pass on water cuts to consumers or face further reduction in their supplies.
But a top-level meeting to discuss the water crisis held little comfort for hoteliers’ industry and private clinics, who had all called to be exempted from the cuts, with the government sticking to its policy decided last week.
The Agriculture Minister had called the meeting with the island’s water boards and water managers in a bid to clarify the Cabinet’s decision to enforce water cuts, after very uneven implementation of the measures across the country.
Speaking after the meeting, Minister Michalis Polynikis said all water boards, municipalities and relevant bodies had been warned that those areas and communities that failed to impose water cuts would have their supply further reduced.
Last Friday, the government cut water supply to local water boards by 30 per cent, instructing them to pass on the cuts to consumers. But not all have done so, with several areas seeking to make up the shortfall from private drilling and desalination solutions.
“Hearing the positions of all towns, we conclude that this serious situation can be dealt with collectively,” Polynikis said yesterday.
“Underlining that the measures concern all citizens and that there should be equal water supply to all, it was pointed out to all municipalities and water boards that apart from the 30 per cent reduction in their water supply, they must also make water cuts,” he added.
The Paphos Mayor was again asked by Polynikis to start cutting water, like all other areas in Cyprus, in order to ensure all Cypriot citizens were being treated equally.
Paphos, which doesn’t have its own water board, has decided not to cut water to its consumers.
The town’s mayor, Savvas Vergas, said after yesterday’s meeting that water cuts had not yet been imposed in Paphos because of his correct water management.
Polynikis said the cuts would continue to apply to private clinics, industries and hotels as initially decided.
In the event that problems arose in the specific services, he added, water boards would help by transporting water for urgent cases.
He said all suggestions had been heard – especially those of the tourist industry, businesses and private hospitals – and expressed his ministry’s willingness to deal with any urgent needs.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet yesterday authorised Polynikis to seek the transportation of water from Greece as soon as possible.
Polynikis said the contract had been prepared for a swift negotiation with companies that would transport the water, while at the same time creating the necessary infrastructure to channel the water once it reached Cyprus.
He added that mobile desalination units were expected to start producing water within two to three months.
