A new sewage treatment plant, with modern facilities and processing methods, is now in operation at Vati in Limassol. This plant is set to replace the temporary unit that was hosted in the area thus far, allowing for better control of the sewage from residential and industrial premises, as well as for its safer processing.
The operation of the new plant for the Treatment of Household Sewage, Industrial Sewage, and Excess Wet Mud and Drainage will begin gradually towards the end of September 2018, with the aim of receiving only household sewage in the initial stages. Industrial plants producing non-hazardous waste will be able to transport materials to the plant until the end of 2018, followed by a six-month adjustment period until June 2019, during which time all industries will be directly connected to the plant.
The purpose behind the operation of this contemporary plant (which will serve residential and small industrial units, diverting wastewater through licensed tankers) is to better control the arbitrary nature that has thus far prevailed in the area. According to Lia Georgiou, Officer of the Water Development Department, the new methods of waste water treatment will prevent the overflow of waste materials, and avoid issues arising in the bed of the Garyllis River. It will also help control the quantity of waste materials by scientific means, with the aim of appropriately informing the Environmental Department, which in turn will undertake control of the operation of industrial units.
With regard to the charges applied, approval is expected for a proposal which distinguishes among charges for 5 different categories, depending on the polluting power of the sewage, and its volume. Until the new charges are approved, the old ones as they applied to the previous unit will continue to apply. In the case of industries which produce a volume of waste larger than what the plant can accept, each industry will be responsible for properly processing its own waste.
