Free water for Ayia Varvara residents

By Evie Andreou

FREE water will be provided to all Ayia Varvara residents until the problem of contaminated water in the area is fixed, community leader Marios Georgiou said on Wednesday.

The quality of the water supply in Ayia Varvara, Alambra and Pera Chorio Nisou villages had been deemed unfit for public consumption last week, following sample checks by government agencies; natural erosion had caused part of the underground pipes’ protective layer to break off and enter the water supply.

Georgiou said that he contacted the community councils of the nearby villages and urged them to do the same for their residents.

Ayia Varvara community council arranged with the owners of water selling points to offer free water until the problem is fixed.

Residents of the three villages were forced to buy either bottled water or drinking water from various commercial sale points.

On Monday, Water Works Department head Kyriakos Kyrou said as a first step, it was decided to reinstate the supply of potable water to the villages by temporarily channelling water from the Tersefanou supply. The problem would be resolved within three to four days.

“The part of the pipe that caused the problem is 2.3 km long and must be replaced within the coming months,” Kyrou said.

In order to alleviate concerns over the consumption of the unfit water, the Health ministry said that the short period which humans and animals consumed the water, will not cause any health problems, but advised for purely precautionary reasons to avoid consumption.

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