Residents of Mazotos are adamantly opposing plans for an €85 million desalination plant slated to be built on their pristine coastline. The community’s concerns have sparked protests, with locals asserting that the project threatens to disrupt their natural environment.
Photo: en.philenews.com
Protests erupted in January, as residents took to the streets with banners demanding environmental protection and expressing frustration over the perceived lack of consultation from the government. One resident, speaking to en.philenews, voiced her fears, stating, “It will be a great environmental disaster. The unit could have been constructed at Moni. Our area is pristine. There is no road, no construction. We go diving, tourists come, people come from Nicosia to enjoy the area. The sea will be polluted. We swim there.”
Photo: en.philenews.com
In an effort to bolster their position, the residents commissioned an independent marine biology assessment and enlisted a lawyer to file a court application seeking a suspension of the desalination plant’s construction. Community leader Georgios Demetriou articulated the council’s dissatisfaction with the environmental studies conducted thus far. “We consider the environmental studies they conducted to be rushed,” Demetriou stated. He added that the community would present an independent study to the Agriculture Minister, asserting that the planned submarine pipes would damage local Posidonia meadows, critical to the region’s marine ecosystem.
On April 8, the plant received environmental approval, just 16 days after the Water Development Department submitted the project details. The plant is expected to be operational by December 2026, initially producing 20,000 cubic metres of drinking water daily, with the potential to double that output. Critics, including environmental experts and local authorities, have expressed concerns regarding the quick approval process and the environmental impact of the project.
In their protests, residents have voiced a strong desire to retain the natural beauty of their coastline. Many believe the site was mischaracterised in official studies, which described the area as already ecologically disturbed. Local residents and independent experts dispute this claim, insisting that Mazotos is one of the few areas in Cyprus untouched by human intervention. Xenia Loizidou, Chairperson of the AKTI Project and Research Centre, challenged the official narrative, arguing that the environmental study did not accurately reflect the true state of the marine ecosystem.
The brine discharge associated with desalination processes has raised alarms among experts. The Marine and Environmental Research Laboratory indicated that the brine could significantly alter local water conditions, harming sensitive marine life. The report highlighted that the brine discharge could lead to increased salinity and temperature changes, potentially affecting local Posidonia meadows, which are crucial habitats in the Mediterranean.
Despite the government’s emphasis on the need for desalination units to address Cyprus’s water crisis, the choice of Mazotos as a site has been questioned. Critics pointed out that Vasiliko, an already industrialised area, could have served as a more suitable location for such a facility. The EAC had previously proposed the construction of a larger desalination plant at Moni, and many residents are puzzled as to why this option was not pursued.
Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou defended the project, stating that desalination is vital for ensuring adequate water supply across the country. She acknowledged local concerns and insisted that the Environmental Authority’s approval came with specific conditions to safeguard the marine environment. However, the rapid timeline of the approval process and the lack of comprehensive environmental studies have left many residents feeling sidelined and anxious about the future of their coastline.
As community opposition intensifies, the fate of the proposed desalination plant remains uncertain. Residents are committed to protecting their coastal environment, asserting that they will continue to fight against the project until their concerns are adequately addressed. With the court hearing for the suspension of works pending, the Mazotos community waits to see what the next steps will be in their ongoing battle against the desalination plant.
