Cyprus appeals to residents to cut water use by two minutes a day amid drought

The appeal, announced alongside a €31m (£27m) package of emergency measures, comes as reservoirs hit record lows with little prospect of replenishment before the tourist season starts.

[...]

Soaring demand has intensified the island’s plight: annual rainfall has dropped an estimated 15% since 1901 while water needs have jumped 300% due to population growth and tourism. Three million tourists – nearly three times the resident population of Cyprus – visit the war-split country’s internationally recognised south each year.

[...]

Tofa said a public awareness campaign would be rolled out this month with the aim of saving water. “The mean per capita consumption of water in Europe is 120 litres per person per day, but in some areas of Cyprus, being that much hotter, we have mean per capita consumption of 500 litres per day,” she said.

[...]

The drive will supplement other measures such as wastewater reuse and fixing water leakages, prevalent in up to 40% of local networks. Households will also receive financial support to invest in water-saving tap appliances.