THE residents of Palodia village in the Limassol district have had their water supply restored after having had to make do with bottled water when their boreholes were found to contain excessive levels of salt.
A statement was issued by the community council this week that water from one of the village’s three boreholes in Ayia Paraskevi was suitable for human consumption. A few weeks ago, it was discovered that Palodia’s water supply showed higher levels of salinity than the European Union currently recommends, leading to the water being labelled unsuitable. The village’s residents had to make do with bottled water handed out at their community centre.
But the problem has not yet been resolved. Although there are three boreholes in Ayia Paraskevi which have in the past been used to supply nearby villages with water, “only one out of these three contains water of suitable quality,” Palodia’s community leader Charalambos Zorbas said yesterday. “Of course, this is provided that we follow European standards. Based on the national regulations that we have followed until now, the levels of salinity are acceptable.”
According to the Water Development Department, the European Union’s current regulations for the permitted levels of salinity in drinking water are only indicative and the EU is in fact considering removing these particular regulations altogether.
“On Monday, we issued a written statement that the water is potable,” said Zorbas, following tests conducted on all three boreholes by private chemists, tests which were approved by the State Lab. The borehole containing the drinkable water has been in operation for more than five years and, according to Zorbas, should not present any other problems.
With the community’s available water effectively cut down to a third, the question now remains as to where Palodia will locate additional sources of water.
Limassol District Engineer for the Water Development Department, Nicodemos Nicodemou, stated that “if they have continuing problems, the Department will ensure that they are supplied with some water.”
The most likely solution will be to mix the water from the boreholes in such a way that the level of salinity in the community’s water is acceptable. The community council is also looking into finding alternative boreholes further away from the village.
In any case, Nicodemou observed, the community must take further measures to ensure that enough water is being saved. “Palodia needs to enforce water cuts. The community cannot be in a more favourable position than the rest of Cyprus.”
