Kouklia gives desalination go-ahead

THE VILLAGE of Kouklia has given the green light to a proposal for a mobile desalination facility outside the Paphos village.

Christakkis Miltiadou, the community leader of Kouklia, met with Agriculture Minister Michalis Polynikis to discuss the matter on Tuesday.

Miltiadou said he understood the gravity of the situation facing not only Paphos, but also the island. He went on to accept the plans to put a desalination plant close to Kouklia village, noting that it was a ”necessity”.

The water cleaning facility is at present at the planning stage, but will eventually clean sea water, to help combat water shortages caused by lack of rainfall and infrastructure.

There has been widespread criticism of the previous government of Tassos Papadopoulos for failing to implement plans for desalination plants and other water measures drawn up by the government of his predecessor Glafcos Clerides, while promoting a vast expansion of water hungry golf courses.

Costas Themistocleous, Clerides’ former Agriculture Minister, has described the water crisis as, “the most important internal issue of the island after the Cyprus problem”.

The plant in Kouklia will be a small affair, and will service the district for three years until a larger one is erected in the same area. The temporary system is expected to be operational by April next year, and will produce 50 tonnes of clean water per hour.

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