Shortage of Water on the Island?

[sylv]

We have been told by Alsancak Belediyesi that they will only be supplying water to the Alsancak, Malatya and Ilgaz areas every 5 days. Understand that there are problems with the water supplies in the Karpaz and other areas of TRNC. I feel that there is a shortage of water on the Island that maybe we are not aware of. Obviously this is the tourist season and I suspect that hotels are being well supplied but not locals in case there is a backlash from the tourist industry.

Although we were given a number to phone by the Belediyesi to order a tanker at reduced costs, there is now no answer as they are holiday until next week!

Does anyone have thoughts on this situation and am I right in thinking that the Island maybe running out of water?

[Marions]

Hmm. I think the Belediye heard you as they are already out of their own stated pattern. We had water last night, didn't we? and two days before there was a dribble. So what on earth is happening or not happening.

I think the Belediye number gave up because it was probably flooded with calls.

anyone else out there know anything? I was told by friends on the karpaz that they had to wait 11 days for water!

[chelwood]

it seems to me this problem of water has always been there but its getting worse , I do agree that it seems priority is given to the hotels and I fully understand the commercial reasons , I am sure that the new pipeline from turkey will make an enormous difference the only time will tell , where we are at the start of the karpaz we have had slight delays but nothing near as bad as the posters near to girne , a massive difference for us is that we were very lucky that we had a new well dug very deep and we loads of water .

my sympathies for those with problems , a solution may be a well or larger storage tanks for those who are in a position to do so .

[sophie]

I can understand the argument for tourists etc.., but what has happened to the "law" that was supposed to have been passed about 3 years ago, whereby any new hotel with over 100 bed capacity (I think that was the number) was supposed to have its own recycling system or, if close enough to the sea, its own desalinisation system. That seems to have gone by the wayside doesn't it? Locals are still watering the roads and pavements outside their houses as they have done for generations (if it was OK for them, then it's OK for us!) and I've never seen so many car washes working flat out up to Seker Bayram. I think some people would prefer a clean car to water in their homes.

[journey1]

One of these days if we continue to dig so many wells I am expecting Cyprus to sink!

[Marions]

Yes, my thinking too. I often thought that of Coober Pedy in Australia where the world's opals come form. Everyone has a 'mine' and I am sure one day that, too, will sink.

But who am I to say - I know nothing ! But it does make one think!

[LooseBoots]

Catalkoy seem to be giving us just enough to fill our tanks, So fair enough.

[Hippocampus]

Sophie, it's not just the locals. I don't know many people here, but I know of three Brits who have irrigation systems and/or swimming pools connected to the mains supply. Their attitude is that if the locals waste it, then why not us. Totally understandable. The single most stupid water policy ever was for the Bele's to start a minimum charge of 10 tons, most people thinking that they might as well use it if they're paying for it. Would have been more sensible to stick to a unit charge, on an increasing scale per ton consumed.

[Marions]

We come under Alsancak Municipality and wepay only for what we use. Our water bill each month is bettween 5 and 7 tl. So I think that is a fair system. But I do not see how it is economical to send a man round to read the meter every month. The size of the bill can harldy pay his wages. But I am happy wwith that system. And cannot understand why others do this 10ton charge, and can quite understand why people feel if they are paying they will use it.

How come Alsancak is sensible in their charging but others are not?

[sophie]

Marion, I totally agree re Alsancak and their water charging policy being much more sensible than others. It really is a pleasant change for Alsancak Belly to be more sensible in something.

[Marions]

good to be living somewhere that is kind to its residents. And they seem to be handing out a bit more water now than last week. So maybe, just maybe the real crisis is over - but I wish I knew what it was.

[stellasstar1]

The strange thing is, that here in Lapta where we have to pay for the 10 ton of water whether we use it or not, and Alsancak only pay for what they use, we in Lapta have water every day and Alsancak doesn't - but then that's Cyprus.

[dippersgirl]

I have not noticed any water shortage in Dipkarpaz, don't know about elsewhere in the Karpaz. In fact our water pressure is huge. Also as far as I understand you pay for your water a fixed amount for 5 tons (or whatever quantity your Belediye chooses)and any extra use you pay extra, which we noticed in the last month as we do not have a well and have to water our garden with Belediye water and paid 30+TL.
In the summer we are on a system, Dipkarpaz is split into 3 districts and each district gets water every third day, i.e. yesterday was our water day. I try and do all my washing, cleaning terraces and garden watering etc on that day, well that's the theory. There are only two of us and as long as I get the main garden done(it's all on an automatic system with clock, pipes etc), the rest - my pots and boxes - I can do everyday and use the tank water. Most people here do have a well

[Hippocampus]

Dippersgirl, I don't know about your area, but in many it is actually illegal to use mains water to water the garden. It certainly is in ours, and sometimes they check people out. I do actually agree with this, if nobody used this water for anything other than what it is supposed to be for, ie household, then perhaps we would all have mains water every day.

[dippersgirl]

I haven't asked, but nobody has said anything. We are quite careful with water, but the garden is my indulgence, there is only about 3 month in the year that we use more than the alloted 5 tons.

[journey1]

I can hardly believe that you are allowed to use mains water for the garden?? I live in Alsancak and for years I have been using tankards for the garden as its not allowed to use the mains and I was told clearly a long time ago that the supply of garden and pool water was strictly to be brought by tankard at my expense and not mains water.
I think that is fair enough when folks are having to worry about supply for their day to day living in the house.

[Philoz]

Just out of interest-does the mains water come from a different source to the tankered water?

[Marions]

that is what I would like to know. Or is it from wells? I somehow doubt that! But no one is telling.

also when you have a piddly garden like mine, one has to get water out of the tank in the garden to water my few plants, or I can use a hose fitted to the inlet pipe which of course is charged to my meter? It is difficult to see the correct ethics in this when I am surorunded by people who wash down their fronts, backs, cars, streets etc, etc from the mains and use gallons and gallons. Plus people living in houses such as mine have nowhere to put a tank to recycle water which is what is done in other places. Would be great to have a tank which takes bath water etc (and washing machine water) which could then be used on the garden and for cleaning etc. But no space for that. Shamef as that owuld help a lot.

so if the tanker stuff comes from the mains, what is the worse crime.

as to the Karpaz, I should think there is loads of water to a few houses - quite different from the concentrations of populace in Girne and Lefkosia.

it is also barmy that so many houses have pools and whether these are filled from mains or tankers it is still water and loads of it. If from underground wells one could fear that e'er long the ground will all cave in.

[kaiserphil]

Our communal pool was filled by tanker.

[Halffull]

Every year we have the same problem with water over the summer months.
I think its a case of being cautious rather than there being an increasing problem, although with the increasing population it is bound to strain the resources.
At least they don't run around withstand pipes and restrict the water every time there's a week without rain like UK.
In July and August Catalkoy bele open and shut the supply every day at set times to different areas (and have done every year for the last 5 years that I am aware of) and we always have enough water, luckily we have a well to keep the pool topped up.

[Marions]

IT DOES SEEM TO VARY, DOESN'T IT? We are now getting daily a couple of hours of water, so much to our relief our tanks are full, but we are using it frugally, just in case. But on the Karpaz they were without for 11 days in one area, although others donot seem to have a problem. One can only hope when thepipeline is finished that th eproblem will be diminshed, but as we live on an island in a hot climate, I reckon we all need to be thoughtful inour use of water all year round.

[journey1]

I used to live in a wee tiny island - Malta - we never had all this nonsense cause we had desalination plants, masses of ex pats and loads of common sense!