Water Development Department

The Water Development Department is responsible for the protection and the rational and sustainable development and management of the country’s water resources within the framework of the Government of Cyprus’s water policy. The Department’s responsibilities include:

a) The correct and timely enforcement and/or implementation of the provisions of the national and European Union legislation which fall within the Department’s jurisdiction, obligations and responsibilities.

b) The planning, the design, the implementation and the operation and maintenance of water related infrastructure such as dams, irrigation ponds, irrigation, water supply and sewage networks, water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants and desalination plants.

c) Taking actions and developing and executing programs and measures to protect the country’s surface and ground water bodies.

d) Taking actions, developing and implementing Flood Risk Management Plans and designing and taking preventive and mitigation measures to protect the public and their properties from flooding.

e) The development and implementation of Drought Management Plans which allow for timely and effective actions to be taken by the Department and the Government so as to minimize the adverse impacts of drought and water scarcity in the country.

f) Designing and establishing monitoring networks and designing and implementing programmes to monitor and assess the qualitative and quantitative status of surface and ground water bodies.

g) Collecting, processing, evaluating, classifying and archiving hydrological, hydrogeological, geotechnical and other essential data and information for the design, maintenance and safety of water development projects and the effective protection and management of the water resources in the country.

h) Raising public awareness and educating water users about the importance of protecting the country’s water resources and sustainable water usage.