Local municipality leaders are concerned about the drop in water reserves at the Gecitkoy reservoir. The reservoir is no longer being fed by the undersea pipeline from Turkey, which was damaged by trawling nets in January.
It is estimated that water level has fallen by nearly one third since April. The fear is that, with the anticipated rise in demands on water supplies in the summer months, the reservoir may completely dry out by the end of July or the start of August.
Minister of Agriculture Dursun Oğuz, addressing concerns about water levels, told Turkish Cypriot daily ‘Diyalog’, that there are currently 9 million cubic meters of water in the reservoir, a quantity that will meet the needs of North Cyprus by September. He noted the Water Affairs Department also regularly maintains the existing water wells and water pumps in the country and that local water resources can be used if needed. The country does not have any water shortage, he assured.
The minister also said that 10 x 500-meter-long pipes would each be used to repair the damage to the pipeline and that the cost of repairing it, which would cost 510 million TL, would be covered by Turkey, for which Oğuz gave thanks. Repairs are expected to begin in August, he explained.
Diyalog, Kibris Postasi
