The National Investment Plan for Water Projects was approved, in today's session, by the Council of Ministers. After the end of the session of the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment Dr. Maria Panagiotou made the following statement to the representatives of the media:
"The Council of Ministers approved today the National Investment Plan for Water Projects following a relevant proposal I submitted. This is a plan that is being drawn up for the first time, following a relevant proposal prepared by the Water Development Department (WAD), and according to today's decision, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, undertakes the coordination and monitoring of the implementation of the Investment Plan.
The National Investment Plan achieves:
• Proper prioritization of projects based on documented needs
• Better allocation of water resources that can be utilized in the context of rational financial management
• Pan-Cypriot distribution of coverage of needs
• Better implementation of the sewer construction program
The national plan lists in order of priority the water projects of the TAU and other drainage agencies, with a total budget of €1,17 billion.
The first priority projects are under construction and numbered in 33 water infrastructure projects of water supply, sewage drainage (to comply with our commitments with the European Wastewater Directive), reclaimed water and irrigation, with an estimated value of €721,8 million, with a completion horizon the period 2024-2029.
Under evaluation are another 60 projects with an estimated value of €445,5 million with start and completion horizons in 2025 and 2030 respectively.
Through the National Investment Plan for Water Projects, we implement relevant goals of the governance program for water sufficiency and the utilization of reclaimed water and lay the foundations for the consolidation of a long-term government water policy that strengthens water and wastewater management."