Washing a balcony with a hose in Cyprus can result in up to six months in prison

Cyprus’s water conservation law remains in force, prohibiting the use of hoses to wash balconies, yards, pavements and cars. The offence is considered a criminal offence: offenders face a fine of up to €3,000, up to six months in prison, or both penalties.

The exception is watering plants: hoses may be used for this purpose, but sparingly. The Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment is urging residents to conserve water and not use it unnecessarily.

The Water Development Department is responsible for enforcing the ban; if necessary, municipalities, community councils and the police join the inspections.

The restrictions remain in place despite the rainy summer. Inflow into reservoirs in July was the second-highest recorded for that month since records began in 1987–1988: the only higher figure was recorded in July 2019. This has not resolved the water shortage problem.

According to the Water Development Department, Cyprus’s reservoirs were 39.3% full at the beginning of September, compared with 15.5% a year earlier.