The International Water Day

Environment Department of the C.C. of AKEL 

AKEL C.C. Press Office, 22nd March 2014, Nicosia

 

The fact that over 1.1 billion people do not have guaranteed access to drinking water and over 2.4 billion people are in danger from the lack of basic hygiene conditions, combined with the simultaneous collapse of the physical state of the planet’s water ecosystems, have created increasing social and political conflicts worldwide.

Cyprus’ non-dependence from the weather conditions to ensure adequate and appropriate amounts of water for irrigation was one of long-standing problems in the history of Cyprus. The construction of dams, the inclusion of recycled water in the water balance, the cultivation of a water awareness among the people and many other measures have helped so that the problem of not depending the securing of drinking water on weather conditions should be reduced, without however this resolving the problem conclusively. The final solution of the problem occurred in the previous five years of governance through the construction of desalination plants, of such capacity that their daily production is to be fully cover the water needs of all urban centres and their outskirts.

The pricing of water is an obligation of the country stemming from the EU Directive 2000/60. We must promote a progressive system of pricing water in all sectors that will protect the small and low-income consumers, but at the same time resolutely prevent wasting water.

The basic water services must serve the general public interest and should first and foremost ensure the priority of human and social rights over the financial interests of the market.

AKEL on 20th March tabled a motion for a resolution in the House of Representatives with the prime objective to ensure access to high quality water, which will remain a public and social property.