Furthermore, the capital’s state primary schools will have no water, so parents are being told make sure their children bring their own bottles.
The head of the Nicosia Water Board, Nicos Zambakides, yesterday also announced that water hikes were expected before the summer.
“The works are expected to take around two days to complete,” said Zambakides. “So as a precaution, we are calling on consumers to be a bit frugal for the next 72 hours. But we hope that the works will be complete sooner.”
He said supply was expected to be cut off in the early hours of this morning – though hospitals and clinics would be excluded.
All areas that receive water from Tersefanou will be affected, which is the Nicosia district, including Lakatamia and communities west of the capital, such as Kokkinotrimithia and Mammari. Turkish Cypriots will be affected too.
Meanwhile, Zambakides reminded consumers that there would be increases in water prices soon, though these weren’t expected to be too steep. “Unfortunately, (the prices) need to increase, not by much, but enough to make us viable,” he explained.
“We are talking of an approximate 10 to 15 per cent increase; so someone who has a €5 bill, it will become €5.50 or €6.00.”
He said the relevant ministries had been informed on the water board’s plans and were expected to submit the proposal to the Cabinet with their own views and suggestions.
“We are expecting an increase in the next few months, definitely before the summer,” said Zambakides.
But he added that there could be more hikes at a later date. “In the future, if the government follows the EU directive that water should be charged based on its cost, including the environmental cost, unfortunately there will be more increases, but not in the near future.”
Source: Cyprus-Mail
By Jacqueline Agathocleous
Published on March 6, 2012
