Ambassador Frank Urbancic and USAID Representative Alan Davis visited the site of the Nicosia wastewater treatment plant in order to see firsthand how a committed team of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots continue to work together to solve the capital city's environmental problems. The U.S. has been a longstanding supporter of bicommunal efforts to improve the quality of life in Nicosia, including through improved management of wastewater. After discussing the history of the existing plant, the group was given a detailed briefing on the new bicommunal Nicosia Wastewater Treatment Plant that will replace the existing facility and be able to better serve Nicosia's growing needs.

While Nicosia may be divided, its residents share the day-to-day challenges posed by outdated infrastructure and dwindling water resources. The new plant, funded by the Sewerage Board of Nicosia and the European Union and expected to come on line in 2012, will use state-of-the-art technology to treat the wastewater and produce both energy and fertilizer from the biosolids. With funding from USAID, the city's water and sewerage managers now also have a plan to use the treated wastewater to alleviate water shortages in the greater Nicosia area. This study, financed by the USAID-funded Supporting Activities that Value the Environment (SAVE) project, is yet another example of how Nicosia’s visionary leaders are solving practical problems in this divided city. Support to this initiative is part of SAVE’s work to build local capacity to better protect and manage Cyprus’ valuable natural and cultural resources, especially water.

Like all U.S.-funded programs in Cyprus, SAVE is aimed at facilitating reunification of the island, including through better protection and management of the island’s critical natural resources.