Thesis Title «Water reuse in Cyprus: Present status and prospects»

Friday  4 October 2019, at: 14:00, Venue: Hall Κ3.A17

Examination Committee

• Associate Professor Petros Gikas (advisor)
• Professor Nicolas Kalogerakis
• Professor Konstantinos Chrysikopoulos

Abstract

The subject of this dissertation thesis is the current situation in Cyprus regarding the reuse of water and the prospects for the future. The purpose of water reuse is the production of stable quantities of water regardless of the problem of water scarcity due to drought from continuous droughts, water pollution, and the uncontrolled use of humans.

This work presents the importance of water reuse and the advantages it offers in a country with deficit water balance. Reusable water can cover a large part of the island's needs and can be used in urban use for garden watering, for irrigation of agricultural areas, for industrial use, for the enrichment of underground aquifers etc. In order to achieve water reuse, preceded primary processing for the removal of solids as primary sludge and secondary processing for removal biological cargo. Follows tertiary processing for removal of chemicals and organic substances and disinfection for the use of water according with the legislative framework based on the reduction of water pollution.

Water reuse covers 80% of the island's needs. Μainly includes the desalination of seawater, with capacity of 220,000 m3/day, while in the future it will reach 255,000 m3/day and wastewater processing from which produced 63 million m3/year and until 2025 is projected to reach 82 million m3/year. Also, for increase of the production and use of recovered water is proposed to design more decentralized systems and the development of wastewater quality control mechanisms for the correct operation of facilities and the safe use of water. Also recommended the reduction in the price of water recovered.

In conclusion, water reuse offers many benefits both to the environment and to the quality of life of the people Cyprus and over time, due to the correct information and confirmation of the consumer for the safe use, the acceptance and coverage of important needs is increasing.