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Cyprus - Country Water Profiles

Framework Law

The main law applicable to water resources management, which covers all of the following areas: administration; management, conservation and use of freshwater resources; water rights; waterworks; water supply
Water Management Act 2010 (No. 79(I)/2010).
Date of text: 23 July 2010

Constitutional provisions

Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus.
Date of text: 21 February 1960

Right to water: No provisions regarding the right to water.

Natural resources: Article 23 providing for property rights also underlines the right of property of the state over natural resources. ‘Every person, alone or jointly with others, has the right to acquire own, possess, enjoy or dispose of any movable or immovable property and has the right to respect for such right. The right of the Republic to underground water, minerals and antiquities is reserved’.

Agriculture

Water used for irrigation, forestry and aquaculture
Water Protection and Management Act 2003 (No. 13(I)/2004).
Date of text: 20 February 2004
Immovable Property (Tenure, Registration and Valuation) Law (No. 8/1953).
Date of original text: 15 September 1946 (2019)
Irrigation Division (Villages) Law (Cap. 342).
Date of original text: 21 February 1968 (1991)

Water Supply and Sanitation

Provision of water services by public utilities or commercial organizations; water supply for domestic, industrial or other purposes; right to safe and clean drinking water and basic sanitation; quality of piped water; sewerage
Sewerage Systems Laws, 1971-2007.
Date of original text: 08 January 1971 (2019)
Wells Law (Cap. 351).
Date of original text: 21 February 1961 (2019)
Water Protection and Management Act 2003 (No. 13(I)/2004).
Date of text: 20 February 2004

Governance

The political, social, economic and administrative systems that govern water management and conservation; good practices; good governance; decentralization; water user’s associations
Sewerage Systems Laws, 1971-2007.
Date of original text: 08 January 1971 (2019)
Water Protection and Management Act 2003 (No. 13(I)/2004).
Date of text: 20 February 2004
Law on the Water Management (Amendment) Law of 2016 (No. 2(I)/2016).
Date of text: 29 January 2016

Infrastructure

Waterworks; water supply systems; dams; hydropower systems; irrigation systems
Wells Law (Cap. 351).
Date of original text: 21 February 1961 (2019)
Water Protection and Management Act 2003 (No. 13(I)/2004).
Date of text: 20 February 2004
Irrigation Division (Villages) Law (Cap. 342).
Date of original text: 21 February 1968 (1991)

Water Resources Management and Water Rights

Ownership and control of water resources; abstraction and diversion of water; allocation and quotas; riparian rights; priority of rights; free water use
Wells Law (Cap. 351).
Date of original text: 21 February 1961 (2019)
Irrigation Division (Villages) Law (Cap. 342).
Date of original text: 21 February 1968 (1991)
Government Waterworks (Amendment) Law, 1996 (Law No. 1(I)/96).
Date of text: 02 February 1996

Water and Environment

Water in environmentally-sensitive areas; ‘water demand’ by ecosystems; protection forests; water conservation zones; environmental impact assessment
Wells Law (Cap. 351).
Date of original text: 21 February 1961 (2019)
Water and Soil Pollution Control Law, 2002 (Law No. 106(I)/2002).
Date of text: 12 July 2002
Public Rivers Protection (Amendment) Law, 1980 (Law No. 35/1980).
Date of text: 21 February 1980

Water Quality and Pollution Control

Control of pollution and quality of freshwater bodies and groundwater; agricultural point and non-point sources of pollution; water quality standards
Water Protection and Management Act 2003 (No. 13(I)/2004).
Date of text: 20 February 2004
Water Protection and Management (Amendment) Act 2015 (No. 159(I)/2015).
Date of text: 13 November 2015
Environmental Liability With Regard to the Prevention and Remedying of Environmental Damage Law, 2007 (Law No. 189(I)/2007).
Date of text: 31 December 2007

Groundwater

Freshwater resources located below the surface of the earth; aquifers; groundwater abstraction; well-sinking; boreholes; hydrogeology
Wells Law (Cap. 351).
Date of original text: 21 February 1961 (2019)
Water Protection and Management Act 2003 (No. 13(I)/2004).
Date of text: 20 February 2004
Water and Soil Pollution Control Law, 2002 (Law No. 106(I)/2002).
Date of text: 12 July 2002

Disaster Resilience

Water-related hazards; flood; drought; water shortage; adaptation to climate change; early warning system/emergency intervention system
Saving Water (Special Measures) Law, 1991 (Law No. 1/1991).
Date of text: 18 January 1991
Saving Water (Special Measures) Regulations, 1991 (P.I. 300/91).
Date of text: 25 October 1991

Transboundary Waters

Transboundary effects; international basin institutions; international agreements; transboundary coordination; transboundary aquifers
Protocol on the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution from land-based sources and activities.
Date of original text: 17 May 1980 (1996)

Policies

National Strategy for the Adaptation to Climate Change 2017.
Date of text: 01 April 2017
Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment's Strategic Planning 2015-2017.
Date of text: 21 February 2019

Main basins

No basins available