[2015] Massive water pipeline from Turkey to Cyprus will open on October 28

Famagusta Gazette ^ | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

The full switch-on of a pipeline pumping water from Turkey to Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus will take place on October 28.

Onder Sennaroglu, the official responsible for the project, confirmed the new date during meetings in Ankara.

The project has been blighted by delays, due to bad weather and rough conditions in the Mediterranean.

The grand opening of the multi-million euro project was supposed to take place last month, to coincide with the anniversary if the Turkish invasion of the island in 1974.

However, the Turkish Minister of Forestry and Water Affairs Veysel Eroglu, did conduct a ceremonial 'fitting' of a final component of the machinery last week.

Around 75 million cubic meters of water will be pumped from a dam in southern Turkey via a pipeline.

The project, which includes a water treatment plant and water tanks, will cost 1.6 billion Turkish liras (576.3 million dollars).

Turkish Cypriot officials say the project will be able to compensate for the projected water needs in northern Cyprus for the next 50 years, and the irrigation water will raise revenue in the farming sector.

Turkish plans to pump water to Cyprus nearly complete - TURKEY is expected to start pumping massive quantities of water to the occupied areas of Cyprus by the middle of July.

"It has become possible for 75 million cubic meters of water to annually be transferred from Turkey to Cyprus with pipelines 250 meters under the sea. Everything is completed. The water reached Cyprus. After that its distribution and administration will be carried out," said Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulen Arinc.

[SunkenCiv]

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Turkey's Tayyip Erdogan meet in Sochi, Russia November 22, 2017. (photo credit: SPUTNIK/MIKHAIL METZEL/KREMLIN VIA REUTERS)