Urgent call for water conservation in north Cyprus as supply crisis bites harder

The water crisis that rocked north Cyprus in the past has reemerged due to a malfunction at the Geçitköy pump station, which is part of the project to transport water from Turkey to North Cyprus. 

As at the morning of Tuesday, June 4, it was announced that water would not be supplied to North Cyprus during the ongoing repair works. The duration of these repairs is unknown, and citizens and municipalities have been urged to use water sparingly.

Environmental organisations speaking to Yeniduzen emphasised that the state needs to develop its own water policy. They pointed out that water from Turkey is being used as if it were inexhaustible, neglecting local resources. Last winter, rainfall in Cyprus was below seasonal norms, and the rain that did fall was insufficient to fill the reservoirs.

Many reservoirs in the north have a fill rate below 50%. According to measurements, the total fill rate of 17 reservoirs was 31.38% in March 2023, 13.19% in November 2023, and 14.76% in January 2024. 

Hatice Benan, President of the Biologists Association, highlighted the lack of protection projects for local resources, noting that Gönyeli and Kanlıköy reservoirs had completely dried up and were neglected.

Former President of the Biologists Association, Hasan Sarpten, stated that water from Turkey would not solve the problem and that no measures had been taken regarding conservation since the water started arriving. Sarpten noted that although the water supply project aimed for the water to last until 2030, it has already been depleted and entirely consumed for domestic use.

“One day the water from Turkey will run out.”

LGC News