A campaign titled ‘Larnaca -26,’ aimed at reducing daily water consumption by 26 liters, was launched on Friday by the District Local Government Organization of Larnaka (DLGOL), with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment, Maria Panayiotou, emphasizing at the press conference announcing the campaign that in Cyprus, the average daily water consumption per person is approximately 140 liters, while the corresponding average in the European Union ranges between 124 and 125 liters.
The campaign will conclude in September, with the goal of every resident reducing their daily water consumption by 26 liters.
In her remarks during a press conference, the Minister said that saving 26 liters of water per day, ‘corresponds to approximately 9.5 cubic meters of water per person per year, and for an average four-person household, this translates to a saving of nearly 38 cubic meters of water per year.
‘This specific initiative by the District Local Government Organization of Larnaka is fully in line with the government’s broader strategy to reduce water demand on a pan-Cypriot basis,’ she said, noting that ‘initiatives such as the ‘Larnaca -26′ campaign are particularly valuable, as they contribute to shaping a new culture of responsible and efficient water use.’
After describing the period in which the DLGOL’s campaign begins as ‘particularly critical,’ Panayiotou explained that ‘despite the increased rainfall recorded this year, there is no room for complacency.’ ‘With the start of the summer season, water needs increase significantly, while the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly noticeable’ she said.
Cyprus, she continued, ‘is among the most vulnerable regions in Europe to the impacts of water scarcity and climate change. In Cyprus, average daily water consumption per person is approximately 140 liters, while the corresponding average in the European Union ranges between 124 and 125 liters.’
She also noted that ‘according to calculations by the Water Development Department, a reduction in consumption of just 10% can make a decisive contribution to water management and the preservation of available reserves until the next hydrological period.’
The Minister of Agriculture noted that, in addition to water conservation measures, ‘the government is simultaneously implementing one of the largest water security enhancement programmes our country has ever undertaken,’ referring to the development of new desalination plants, both permanent and mobile, and the upgrading of existing facilities.
As she said, ‘in the coming period, the mobile desalination plant in Garrilli will become operational, while procedures are underway for new permanent desalination plants in Limassol and Larnaca, as well as four new large plants in East Limassol, Ayia Napa-Ayia Thekla, Polis Chrysochous, and Dekelia. The goal is for Cyprus to achieve full coverage of its water supply needs through desalination by 2027 and to ensure water self-sufficiency by 2050.’
In her remarks, Panayiotou also referred to the launch by the Water Development Department of ‘the island-wide distribution of approximately 3 million showerheads and flow reducers, which will reach approximately 0.5 million households across Cyprus’. ‘These devices can help reduce water consumption by up to 30%, without significantly affecting user comfort,’ she said.
As the Minister explained, ‘the initiative began in the Paphos district and is gradually expanding across Cyprus with the free distribution of approximately 75,000 packages, which include four faucet aerators and two shower flow restrictors.’
In his remarks, DLGOL’s President, Angelos Hadjicharalambous, said that the online platform being launched today as part of the campaign is a modern tool for information and awareness-raising, designed to provide easy and immediate access to information regarding water conservation and rational water use.
Through the platform, he continued, ‘citizens have access to useful information and practical tips that can be applied in their daily lives, contributing significantly to reducing water consumption. That is why the campaign focuses on information, awareness, and collective action, reinforcing the joint effort to protect and properly manage our most precious natural resource.’
DLGOL’s Director of Technical Services, Argyro Filaretou, referred to the Organization’s approach to addressing water scarcity, which, as she said, ‘focuses on reducing water consumption and minimizing water losses in the water supply networks-a long-standing top priority for the Organization. In this context, starting in January 2026, we are implementing a series of immediate measures aimed at reducing demand by 10%.”
She added that “among these are the intensification of leak detection and repair, replacing problematic and/or old pipes in networks where increased losses are observed, implementing targeted pressure management in the networks, with pressure reductions where permitted, cutting off water supply to certain green spaces where drinking water is used for irrigation, and maximizing the use of every available water source, such as existing boreholes.’
Filaretou also referred to ‘the Technical Service’s infrastructure modernization programme, which includes the installation of smart meters, telemetry and sensor systems, the replacement of old networks, and the adoption of digital tools for network monitoring and management.’