water situation - independant observation

Chick-a-Dee


Joined: 16/06/2008
Posts: 342

Message Posted:
19/06/2008 20:48

I have recently returned from a two week break, staying with our friends, who own a beautiful villa.



I found it 'interesting' with regards the water situation. My friend is so scared of having his water stolen from his stand pipes, that he virtually guards it 24 hours a day. I was puzzled as to why, and he told me that there had been reports of people stealing water from neighbours stand pipes.



Now having never visited N Cypurs before I found this really off putting that water is now (probably) valued as high as fuel. It reminded me of a Mad Max movie! Furthermore, a neighbour was having water delivered via a water tanker whilst I was there, and I find this really peculiar? I wondered if anyone on the forum who lives in N Cyprus could answer any of the following?



Why do people have to have water delivered? I was told it was due to the 'council equivalent' of them turning of the water. I am puzzled as to why this happens, when the good people of Cyprus pay for a tanker of water, they are still purchasing water. Where does the tanker get his supplies from? How good is the water? Does anyone ever check??? I just though it worthy of a thought provoking response to the good people of North Cyprus.

PtePike



Joined: 20/05/2008
Posts: 2334

Message Posted:
19/06/2008 20:58

Chick,



Water is desperately scarce in Cyprus and some people will steal or divert it if they can. The tankers you saw are to replenish house water tanks after they've been emptied or when the council shut the water off for a few days at a time. It's not unusual (cue Tom Jones) to have up to four tanks. Quality of water varies from place to place and bottled is always best for drinking or mixing, just in case. But tap water is usually OK if quite hard. Despite the seriousness of the situation and with the Med being so close, people still insist on having private swimming pools. Unbelievable but true. They should be hammered with tax and I suspect they soon will.

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
19/06/2008 22:02

Chick-a-Dee. Have a look at http://www.frankandjoan.com 15th June 2008 last paragraph that Frank has written regarding water situation. Read also this one couples experiences in Northern Cyprus and hopefully it will give you some understanding of life there when you return.

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
19/06/2008 23:17

We get tankered water cos we are not yet connected to the mains.



Others get it cos they are so greedy that they use their supply on watering lawns etc!!!!!!!! Then steal from the rest of us from deep water wells using an uncontrolled tanker delivery system.



It is time building of all new pools was stopped and watering gardens made a jailing offence. What is more important - a green lawn with lots of plants or drinking??? No answer required from those ex UK people.

andysue


Joined: 12/11/2007
Posts: 891

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 00:12

hi all i agree its a major problem. but why is there so few deslanation plants on all the new development sites? turtle bay village as one ,im told all owners on that site had to contribute to its cost but shurely once up and running its worth it ! UNLIMITED WATER must make sense in a area where it hardley rains ? regards . . . andrew

newlad



Joined: 02/03/2008
Posts: 7819

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 00:20

Hi all,

There is a big pond out there known as the med.We need to make use of it.How do they carry on in places such as Egypt and Dubai.Desalanation has to be the way,

regards,

Paul.

dalartokat


Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 734

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 00:52

Newlad, in Egypt they have over years planned and managed their water from the River Nile and built the Aswan Dam, and as far as I know priority is always given to Power stations. As for Dubai, yes its been desalination plants, which are expensive, but they can afford it. Can Northern Cyprus afford one and have the structure in place. Many countries in the future will suffer water stress and its education first on how not to waste it.



I have visited Dubai a couple of times and was told that it can be an offence not to keep your car clean, whether this is true. Everywhere is laid to lawn with automatic sprinklers, all very nice and clean, but at what price in the future when all the building boom has finished and everyone moves in.

Barrovian1



Joined: 16/11/2007
Posts: 95

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 04:59

Having bought on Turtle Bay Village, yes we did have to pay towards the de-sal plant, but in the long run it is money well spent.



Bob.

rcroton


Joined: 05/06/2008
Posts: 192

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 09:48

I live in Qatar and the only way they get water is through desalination. It rains for about 20 minutes 2 or 3 times a year. N Cyprus has to do the same.



If you go to Dubai see how green the place is not as green in Qatar but how do they get the water? desalination



Rich

AndyP



Joined: 18/04/2008
Posts: 517

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 10:40

The water situation in NC is different depending on whether you are a local or not. In the village that we live in the water is turned on and off each day. But the main part of the village get a plentiful supply of water. So much so that the locals wash down their patios and driveways everyday. On the other hand our villa is just on the edge of the village and we hardly get any water at all. Why is this? Well they do not turn the water on for long enough. Just long enough to fill all the tanks in the village and then just as we get a cupful they turn it off. We have complained many times as well as all our neighbours but it falls on deaf ears. In the last 3 weeks we have had 1 ton of water from the mains and the best thing is we have to pay for 10 ton regardless of whether we get any or not. Also, by keep turning the water on and off the pipes get air in them and when the water does get turned on. The air rushes up the pipe from the village and hey presto our water meter kicks in and starts registering the flow. So we now pay for air!!!



We like many others pay for a tanker to come and fill up our tanks and that is probably filled from the same place we should be getting our water from. It does look like another way to screw a few more lira from the visitors (well thats what we are on our visa stamp).



Just for the record. We do not have a pool and no plants in the garden to water because the bloody goats eat them but that another story!!

Hot Hornet


Joined: 03/06/2008
Posts: 343

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 14:30

andyp

sad story admittedly seeming to favour locals over everyone else.

does anyone know much about de-salinisation? what happens to the salt after its been separated? does it get thrown back in the sea, as this would have a massive negative effect on the marine life?

Turtle Bay person tells me that they have so much water they don't know what to do with it.

hosing down patios and cars is really quite disgraceful, and it indicates such a lack of education about the word 'drought'. however, its not just these types, its also the europeans - where I live gardens seem to be given more importance than people or animals, and god forbid they don't get watered every day! they also are guilty of secretly getting 20/30 tonne tanks put underground too!

goonerstan



Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 397

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 15:17

is there any truth, or is it just folk law , that if your neighbour had a well you would be offered the use , also do you think by taxing swimming pools will creatate more water, i agree that that a compleat ban on new construction of new pools , would be of some use , but then you would have the construction industry complaining, maybe we should be looking at other countries to see how they manage dubia/ egypt this problem will not go away and taxing people is not the answer i will gladly fill my pool in if the contractor will give me back my £15,000

Hot Hornet


Joined: 03/06/2008
Posts: 343

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 15:30

think alsancak belediye were thinking about actually seconding water from peoples wells when it gets really bad - good idea!

someone I know fills their pool up from the mains every time, and then argues that it would cost him just as much to get tankers in, and as it all comes from the same place, so whats the difference!

Chick-a-Dee


Joined: 16/06/2008
Posts: 342

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 15:56

Thank you everyone for your comments and explanations of how it all works.

Andy ... I never thought that living in N Cyprus would be frustrating, I think living in the UK is with the rising costs of everything, but at least we have access to water here, and its reasonably charged.



I still cannot understand why the water is turned off? Is this to curb the use of hose pipes, that is the only thing I can think of.



Through discussion with my friend during my stay, i could not help but think that the prices may be deliberatly driven up by village. It doesn't seem at all fair that one village has access to water, and up the road has to pay for it.



Can I enquire to everyone what is the going price for a tanker of water??? And what is the average water bill? Or unit of water - does anyone know?



The reason I am asking, is that I was looking to invest in a property and want some idea of the 'hidden' problems. I spoke to a couple of estate agents when I was in N Cyprus, and enquired about water problems - but the subject was well 'smoothed' over and was told that there were no water problems!

Chick-a-Dee


Joined: 16/06/2008
Posts: 342

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 16:06

Thanks Hot Hornest for your comments also.



Your friend may have a good point, and this is what got me thinking - what is the difference between somoeone paying for water from a tanker to fill up your pool etc, or using from the mains ??



Water is water - if there is such a problem with water, then why is it still 'very' accessable, when privately bought? If the situation is so bad - why are local people still allowed to supply it from tankers??? My personal opinion is that this maybe another case of getting profit from the English. Does anyone agree with this, or is my independant view too one sided? My other very synical view of this, which is what I spoke to my friend who lives in N Cyprus, is maybe the council has a cousin who supplies water in the area. The council turn of the water, the resident has to buy privately. The tanker is filled by the council water and sold 'privately' at a much higher pricer ...tell me I am wrong ...

goonerstan



Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 397

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 16:20

i thought girne belidie have made it against the law now to fill from mains water ,chick-a -dee, your comments about your conversation with estate agent if there lips are moveing there lying to say there are no problems regarding water is a blatent lie, do your own research on this dont rely on agents

goonerstan



Joined: 14/04/2008
Posts: 397

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 16:24

the price of tanker water does vary last year i was paying for 10tonne 75 ytl this year its 100 ytl

Hot Hornet


Joined: 03/06/2008
Posts: 343

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 16:50

chickadee

the reason they sometimes turn off the water supply is to curb usage. last year we had 3 days on and 3 days off - its simply to regulate supply. its not a bad idea sometimes, and it does make people think.

when we have no water, I collect shower water, washing up water, to chuck on the garden etc. it helps you keep your usage to the bear minimum.

unfortunately most europeans when they come have no clue as to the situation and happily use up all their tank water and run out!

sometimes developments are not yet connected to a mains supply, so tankers are the only option - theres nothing untoward about it, its just the way it is.

prices can vary for tankers, depending on your location - 80-100ytl is the norm for 10 tonnes it would seem.

i have asked myself the same question too - whats the difference between tanker and mains water - all are pottable, and come from the same source!

Chick-a-Dee


Joined: 16/06/2008
Posts: 342

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 17:47

Thank you Hot Hornet .. for thinking on the same lines. I think being outside the world that you all live in allows you to think a little bit more about what is happening. I just find it bazaar that the local council (equivalent) can ban residence from filling their pool with mains water, but they allow their pools to be filled from privately purchased water which is clearly at a premium price .... wake up everyone, surely is it only me that thinks there is a cartel here?????



Like I said before if water wa so sghort - should the tankers not be regulated, or is this just another way of lighting the wallet/purse of the English.

cyprusishome


Joined: 31/03/2007
Posts: 2381

Message Posted:
20/06/2008 19:02

In general water from the mains comes from high level springs that can support the local population if not abused. With the addition of so many pools etc water is drawn from the deeper aquifers into tankers. That is why it is "TOTALLY ILLEGAL" TO FILL A POOL FROM THE MAINS.



Generally village water supplies are turned off for several days at a time is to try to make people think how they use water. Unfortunaley there are too many here who still want to plant lawns and bring plants from the UK that drink water like no tomorrow. Again this is why many people are whinging cos their plants have died in between their annual visits, the reason being the Belidyse have disconnected their water supplies so the cannot use irrigation systems. Why should I not have water to drink because someone decide to water the lawn everyday while they are living in England!!



IMHO, it is the users of the water who must be heavily taxed on usage and nothing to do with regulating tankers. After all who is it using the water?????

AndyP



Joined: 18/04/2008
Posts: 517

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 11:44

Things are definately getting worse!!!



Still not a drop of mains water to our house since my last post. On staurday I went into the village and hey presto they were washing cars hosing down the patios and driveways. Surplus water running down the street. On our estate of 30+ villas a steady stream of water tankers coming backwards and forwards all day. Water at a premium!! Although I have managed to get friendly with one of the drivers and if he has any water left, he will let me have it for free. Although I bought 4 ton the other day and paid 40ytl.

Cyprusunday


Joined: 16/06/2008
Posts: 53

Message Posted:
23/06/2008 21:22

Taxing is not the answer education and management of resources is. Make sure that what you have is not running away through leaky pipes, leaky toilets and the failure to save what little rain we get. Educate people not to hose everything down all the time, floods of water outside severners at 6.45 this evening as there is at the ravine every morning and outside many a cypriot house.



Lets stop talking about desalination, on a large scale it is an environmental disaster



Most of the people I know who have tankers have so because they have little or no mains, not because they have lawns...I know no-one with a lawn.



I would not really mind tax if it was fair, a friend of mine lives under one Muhtar who does not charege the locals for water, but I still feel that it is not the answer. They put the charges up last year did they use the money to tackle the problem or employ more poeple and buy more coffee.



Yes it is going to be tough this year, there will be a lot of talk about puting the prices up, taxing pools, desalination and piplines from Turkey, then it will rain, most of this will was away and it will all be forgotten about till next year.