A new mobile desalination unit in Mazotos, in the Larnaca district, is moving toward implementation despite strong opposition from the local community and legal action by the Community Council. The project, costing more than €90 million and with a capacity of 40,000 cubic meters of water per day, is considered by the government to be critical for tackling water scarcity and meeting water needs for the 2027–2029 period.
The Council of Ministers has approved the construction of the access road network to the unit, paving the way for infrastructure works to begin. According to the Water Development Department, the procedures are being expedited but remain lawful, based on the public interest and without bypassing the required approvals. The final environmental approval was issued on June 11, 2026, while, if the remaining procedures are completed, the contract is expected to be awarded within 2026 and the unit to become operational in 2027.
In Mazotos, however, opposition remains strong. During an information meeting with the Minister of Agriculture and officials from the Fisheries, Environment and Water Departments, the atmosphere was tense, with residents reiterating their opposition to the location of the unit. According to the Mazotos community leader, Giorgos Dimitriou, residents and experts raised questions about seagrass meadows on the seabed, the unit’s discharges and possible environmental impacts, without, he claims, receiving the answers they had expected. The Community Council has already taken legal action against the Council of Ministers’ decision, seeking an injunction to suspend the works. The case is scheduled to continue on June 29.
Source: Phileleftheros [1], [2]
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