Philenews

Demand for New Dams in Paphos Resurfaces After Heavy Rainfall Fails to Replenish Reservoirs

Published January 3, 2026, 05:03
Demand for New Dams in Paphos Resurfaces After Heavy Rainfall Fails to Replenish Reservoirs

The demand for the construction of two new dams in Paphos is being revived after it was found that recent heavy rainfall had little impact on the inflows of existing dams. The need for new dams arose after the difficulties faced by Cyprus, and particularly Paphos, in 2025 due to the fire at the desalination plant, the damage to the Mavrokolypos dam, and the drought. The president of the Paphos Water Development Corporation, Pampos Pittokopitis, as well as Paphos MPs Chrysanthos Savvides and Ilias Myrianthous from DIKO and EDEK, emphasize the need to build small dams on rivers that cross communities, in order to prevent large amounts of water from flowing into the sea. They point out that Paphos was flooded with rain, while the dams remain almost empty. These projects could be included in the Recovery and Resilience Plan, as EU member states have the opportunity to revise and replace proposed projects with projects of the highest priority. The construction of the dams is considered critical for the water economic security of the region. The lack of dams results in the majority of rainwater flowing into the sea or being absorbed into the ground in areas where there is no capacity to retain it. The construction of new dams will contribute to the more efficient management of water resources and the avoidance of similar problems in the future.