Mazotos residents in Cyprus demand cancellation of desalination plant decision
Residents of Mazotos in Cyprus and the community council have called for the decision to locate a desalination plant on the coast to be cancelled. They say the project was not put out for public consultation and that the necessary studies were not conducted.
As Cyprus Mail reports, the demand was voiced during a meeting with Agriculture Minister Christos Senekis on Wednesday. Eleni Haili, spokesperson for the Mazotos coastal protection initiative group, said that the group’s members and the community council unanimously asked for the decision to be withdrawn.
Concerns about the coast
According to Haili, the planned facility could have an irreversible impact on the marine environment. She added that the minister listened to residents’ arguments and said their demand to annul the decision would be considered.
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Residents have opposed locating the plant on the Mazotos coast since the beginning of the year. The coastal protection initiative group has around 350 members.
Community demands
The mukhtar of Mazotos, Georgios Pafitis, previously stated that an independent study did not recommend locating a desalination plant in the area because of the presence of protected natural habitats. The community council called for an independent environmental impact assessment, consideration of alternative sites, and compliance with national and European environmental procedures.
Residents also expressed concerns about Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows and coral reefs. In their view, the facility should not be considered a mobile desalination plant, as it will have the character of a heavy industrial facility. They warn that intervention in the coastal slope could affect the stability of the wider area. At the same time, residents acknowledge the acute water shortage in Cyprus but consider construction on the coast unacceptable.
