Transcript addressing the challenge of water scarcity and droughts in cyprus

CYPRUS CLIMATE CONFERENCE
Climate Change: A challenge for Europe and Cyprus
27 – 29 November, 2009
Goethe Centre Nicosia
Water Management in Cyprus
and the implementation of the
EU Water Framework Directive
Sofoclis Aletraris
Director
Water Development Department
Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment
Republic of Cyprus
Overview of Climate Change
Addressing the challenge of Water Scarcity & Droughts in the EU
Addressing the challenge of Water Scarcity & Droughts in Cyprus
The implementation of Water Framework Directive in Cyprus
Current water situation in Cyprus
Conclusions
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OVERVIEW OF CLIMATE CHANGE
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 Significant impact on quality and
availability of water due to CC
 Intergovernmental Panel on CC:
Change in mean annual
temperature by the end
o
of this century (C )
– Water scarcity to affect 1.1-3.2 bn
people if temperatures rose by 2-3 Co
– Drought affected areas to increase
 At European Union level:
– Areas & people affected by droughts
between 1976-2006: +20%
– 2003: >100 m people (20%) & >1/3rd
of EU territory affected by droughts
– Cost of damage: €8.7 bn (2003),
€100 bn (over the past 30 years)
Change in mean annual
precipitation by the end
of this century (%)
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ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF WATER
SCARCITY AND DROUGHTS IN THE EU
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 Addresses challenge of water
scarcity & droughts in EU
 Provides fundamental & well
developed first set of policy
options for future action
 States clear commitment from
EU to jointly establish the
adequate conditions to
implement foreseen actions &
develop further knowledge
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 Put the right price on water based on “user pays” principle
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– Introduce compulsory metering programmes
Promote water saving & water efficiency measures
– Tremendous potential for water savings in EU
• 20% of water estimated to be wasted (could go up to 40%)
– Change how water is channelled to users & how it is used
• E.g. promote installation of water saving devices
 Proper allocation of water use between economic sectors
 Clear water hierarchy: water saving to become priority
 Application of effective water pricing & cost-effective
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measures before opting for additional water infrastructures
Integration of water sustainability & sustainable land use
Adaptation of activities to locally available amount of water 7
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF WATER
SCARCITY AND DROUGHTS IN CYPRUS
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 Most of the water demand management measures

presented in the Communication have been applied, but
water scarcity problem remains
Water scarcity is a very serious problem for Cyprus
– Cyprus & Malta are the “water poor”
countries of Europe with lowest water
availability/capita
Annual Rainfall
Distribution (mm)
 Semi-arid climate
 Limited water resources
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– Depend mainly on rainfall
– Scarce & expensive to explore
Unevenly distributed rainfall
Frequent occurrence of droughts
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Stepped drop of
precipitation in
the early 70s
 Climate models predict rise in temperature and increase in
the intensity and frequency of extreme drought events
 These conditions, coupled with increased water demands
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are worsening the water scarcity problem in Cyprus
 Figure above represents water needs, which are
rarely satisfied
– Since 1996, water demand for irrigated agriculture
was satisfied only in 2004 when all dams over-spilled
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 Integrated & sustainable
approach to water
management
 Strategic planning
– Long term actions to
meet future demands
under scarcity conditions
– Short term actions to face
a particular drought event
within the existing
framework
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 Applied to all Government Water Works (GWW) on a
yearly basis, depending on climatic conditions
 Includes restrictions to water use & other water
demand and supply management measures
 Water from GWW allocated to different uses with
priority to domestic sector, including tourism
 Remaining quantity allocated to agriculture using a
quota system & penalty charges for over-consumption
– Allocation to farms depends
on crop & area irrigated
– Over-consumption rate is
multiple of usual tariff
Allocation of
water from
GWW
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 Implementation embarked in the late 60s
 Objective: to satisfy in a sustainable way the
different users of water and safeguard human &
other life
 Measures implemented to increase water availability
and decrease water demand
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Accumulated Storage
Capacity (MCM of water)
 Increased dams capacity
 Drilled boreholes for domestic and irrigation purposes
 Constructed water treatment plants & recharge works
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 Installed improved on farm irrigation systems
 Constructed modern, efficient conveyance and
distribution systems
 Imposed water charges for domestic and irrigation
water
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 Climate change caused
a drop of 20% in
precipitation resulting to
a 40% reduction in
surface runoff
 Experienced more
frequent occurrence of
extreme drought events
 Rapid increase in
population and tourist
arrivals in Cyprus
Inflow of water to the Dams
(MCM)
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 Groundwater resources have been the most obvious
& easily accessible sources of water for many years
 In the attempt to meet the increasing water demand
or to mitigate drought effects, they have been
heavily over-pumped
– Led to seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers
– Deteriorated both quality and quantity
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 Forced to turn to seawater desalination in 1997
 One mobile & two permanent desalination plants
currently in operation
– Additional plants in construction / planning phase
 Objective is to eliminate the dependency of potable
water on rainfall
 Despite environmental & financial costs, experience
has shown that desalination remains the only means
of achieving water security and independence of
domestic water from climatic behaviour
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 Recycled water for irrigation and recharge purposes
is a growing resource in Cyprus
 Reuse schemes using treated sewage effluent are
now operational
– Many more are under study or construction
Annual Recycled Water (MCM) – Tertiary Treatment
(28,5% of agricultural water demand)
Irrigation of agricultural crops,
either directly or through
recharge of aquifers/ irrigation
of recreational areas &
recharge
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Metering of water consumption
Water charges on a volumetric basis
Programs to reduce distribution losses
Installation of improved on farm irrigation systems
Measures to promote a water-saving culture &
efficiency of water use
 Water rationing during periods of drought
 Subsidies for saving potable water
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 Infrastructure and water demand management
measures were mostly funded through National
Cyprus Total
Budget
– For a number of years, funds
Development Budget
allocated for water development
accounted for approx 1/5th of the
Cyprus Development Budget
 Water infrastructure investments (GWW) in 2007
estimated at €2,58 bn
(1)
– Significant amount, considering the size, geography,
economy and population of Cyprus
– Considerable proportion was put in water efficiency
infrastructure (advanced distribution networks &
telemetry systems)
(1) Assuming a discount rate of 7,5%
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IMPLEMENTATION OF WATER FRAMEWORK
DIRECTIVE IN CYPRUS
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 Establishes a legal framework to protect
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and restore clean water across Europe
Ensures long-term and sustainable use of
water
Sets the goal of achieving “good status”
for all of Europe's surface waters and
groundwater by 2015
Cyprus is progressing towards full
implementation of the WFD
Committed to the efficient and effective
implementation of the WFD principles and
provisions
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 Expand water protection to all waters: inland and
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coastal surface waters and groundwater
Achieve “good status” for all waters by 2015
Base water management on river basins
Combine emission limit values with environmental
quality standards
Ensure that water prices provide adequate
incentives for efficient water use
Involve citizens
Streamline legislation
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Dec
2003
• Transpose WFD into national law and identify River Basin
Districts (RBDs) & Competent Authorities
Dec
2004
• Characterise RBDs in terms of pressures, impacts & economics
of water uses, incl. register of protected areas
Dec
2006
• Operate monitoring programmes & publish for consultation a
Work Programme for River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs)
Dec
2007
• Publish for consultation an interim overview of the significant
water management issues in each RBD
Dec
2008
• Present draft RBMPs to the public
Dec
2009
• Finalise RBMPs for each RBD incl. a Programme of Measures
Dec
2010
• Implement water pricing policies that enhance sustainability of
water
Dec
2012
• Make operational all measures established under the
Programme of Measures
2015
• Achieve environmental objectives (“Good Status”)
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 Cyprus fulfilled all its obligations up to the end of 2007
 Currently preparing RBMP & Programme of Measures
using Consultancy Services
– A specific Drought Management Plan will also be developed to
supplement RBMP
– A six-month public consultation on draft RBMP (Art. 14) expected to
begin in Feb 2010, whole work to be finalised by Mar 2011
– Work delayed due to legal problems in relation to tenders
 Also in progress, implementation of Art. 9, which
establishes requirement to implement cost recovery,
including environmental & resource costs, “polluter pays”
principle & incentive pricing by 2010
– Work carried out using Consultancy Services: Contract signed in
Feb 2008 and is expected to be completed by 2010 – public
consultation to follow
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CURRENT WATER SITUATION IN CYPRUS
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 The 2008 winter was
extremely dry and the
inflow to the reservoirs
was only 18,7 MCM
 Water reserves of
underground aquifers
were drastically reduced
and water storage in the
dams reached
dangerously low levels
Kouris Dam
Apr 2004
Kouris Dam
Sept 2008
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 In response to the acute drought, a series of
emergency measures were applied:
– Transfer of potable water from Greece, using tankers
– Almost 100% ban on water supply to agriculture
– Strict restrictions on drinking water supply to
households (only 36 hrs per week)
– Extension of the existing desalination plants capacity
and installation of mobile ones
– Treatment of the Garillis aquifer to potable water
– Use of new boreholes & purchase of water from
private boreholes for domestic supply
– Intensification of water saving promotion campaigns
and financial incentives for saving potable water
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 Domestic water supply enhancement
– Construction of 3 new permanent desalination plants and Kannaviou
Treatment Plant
 Replacement and improvement of domestic water supply
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networks in rural areas
– Available amount in national budget for 2009: €15 m for 150 projects
– Funds allocated for 2001-2008: €60 m
Study for exploring the possibility of rainwater utilisation
Solea Valley Irrigation Project for irrigation water use
improvement
Implementation of Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive
91/271/EEC and use of recycled water for irrigation
Other environmental protection & demand management
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measures
 Cyprus applied for financial assistance from the EU
Solidarity Fund
 EU Commission agreed to grand €7,6 million in aid:
– Will mainly help reimburse costs of emergency
measures, such as transport of water from Greece
 First time the Solidarity Fund was used to provide
financial aid in response to an exceptional drought
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 Precipitation reached 105% of normal
 Water inflow into reservoirs was 97,2 MCM enabling
the Government to
– Reduce restrictions on the supply of drinking water
from 30% to 15%
– Provide some quantities of water to agriculture
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CONCLUSIONS
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 Future presents many challenges for Cyprus
– Rapid social changes
– Further economic development
– Climate change
– Water scarcity & droughts
– Escalating water demands in a continuously changing
environment
 All necessary measures are being taken to ensure
water security now and in the future through an
integrated multi-objective approach for water
management
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THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION
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