The Cypriot government announced Thursday a series of water-saving measures, in an effort to fight drought caused by unusually low level of rainfall, the Cyprus News Agency reported.

Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Fotis Fotiou called on the Cypriot people to support government efforts to save water, adding that over-consumption from now on will be punished with fines.

According to the announcement, the short term measures include cuts in water used in irrigation.

As for potable water, the minister said that there will be a campaign to enlighten the public on ways to save water at home and provide incentives to the public to install home units for recycling wastewater.

Moreover, the government will proceed with the construction of two more desalination plants in Limassol and Paphos, which will function in two and a half years.

Statistics released in December show that water in dams in the country has decreased to dangerously low level, only accounting for 22 percent of capacity, compared to 47 percent in the same run last year.

Rainfall in winter usually covers 25 percent of Cyprus' water supply, but inadequate rainfall this year has led to water shortage in the eastern Mediterranean island's reservoirs.

Source: Xinhua