In relation to an article published in the daily press on 07/07/2022, entitled "Changes in flood protection works for the Archdiocese", the Department of Water Development (DAY) clarifies the following:
The two retention ponds to be constructed by the State, one in the area of Nicosia Airport and one in the area of the State Exhibition, are mainly intended to contain the high flows of the river Klimos during extreme rainfall events, for the flood protection of the municipalities of Engomi and Agios Dometios, located along the river downstream.
These ponds are pioneering projects for Cyprus, since for the first time in Cyprus, in addition to the flood protection they will provide, their area will be used for other public purposes, such as sports, parks and other alternative public uses. This practice is already being applied in other European countries and in the USA, with great success. To make this possible, the ponds will be constructed in such a way that they will be filled with water only during rare extreme rainfall events and then emptied again after a few hours. Their space will therefore be available for other uses, except for a few days each year during extreme rainfall events.
After consultation with all stakeholders, it was decided to amend the construction plans to change the siting and redesign of both ponds. Both ponds will remain within the same land parcels that were originally designed, but for purposes of optimal utilization of the space and secondary uses of the ponds and to better integrate the ponds into the urban landscape, their shape and location within the parcels will be changed. During the redesign of the lakes, landscape architects will be involved, who will assist in the optimal design of the secondary public uses of the lakes, based on the needs of the municipalities of Lakatamia and Egomi, where the lakes are located. Already, for the retention pond at the State Fair, the Municipality of Engomi has proceeded by awarding a Contract to a landscape architect, who will work with the designer of the ponds in modifying the plans.
In any case, TAY assures that the changes in the layout and shape of the ponds will not in any way affect the level of flood protection for which they were originally designed and wishes to express its satisfaction at the granting of a large area of land, in the order of 80 decares, by the Holy Archdiocese of Cyprus to the State for an important public purpose, such as flood protection.
(MB/IK)
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