The thirteen mobile desalination units set to arrive on the island as a gift from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are to be reserved solely for use in Limassol, it was reported on Wednesday.

Speaking to Alpha TV, agriculture ministry permanent secretary Andreas Gregoriou said the authorities had identified a much greater water shortage in Limassol and so it had been decided to install all units in that district.

As for Paphos, the desalination unit in Kouklia is expected to re-operate in August, he said, and supplementation from bore holes is already underway.

According to expert assessments, Paphos will thus be sufficiently covered by the rebuilt unit, set to provide 15,000 cubic metres daily, and by a mobile unit planned in Kissonerga, which will be signed into action next Monday. That unit will begin operating anywhere from four to seven months after the signing, Gregoriou said.

Meanwhile, the [free] units have been shipped and they are to provide Limassol with 15,000 cubic metres per day. By June they will be connected to the water mains and be providing potable water, he said.

During a visit to Abu Dhabi at the start of April, headed by the minister of agriculture, the units had been thoroughly vetted, the director added.

“The units are new and have been made available to us until the end of 2026. Their installation will be in line with regulations so as to have a minimal environmental impact [from brine water release],” the director said.