10 Commandments for water use - A guest blog

The water shortage in Cyprus is the country's most pressing political isssue, after the division of the Mediterranean island into Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot areas, Christian communicators were told by Cypriot journalists during a meeting of the Europe region of the World Association for Christian Communication. Indeed on the last day of the meeting, the Cyprus Sunday Mail appeared with the headline, "Water scramble spells eco chaos". This followed the introduction of cuts in supply to water boards at the beginning of April. Whereever you go in Cyprus you will see wind generators such as the one pictured here, which are used to provide power to extract water from boreholes. However, the Sunday Mail reported, drilling for water has seriously depleted underground water resources, which are increasingly contaminated with seawater and susceptible to chemical pollution. "As the fresh-water level drops. there's increasing intrusion from seawater," says Ioanna Panagiotou, press officer of the Cyprus Green Party. Some local authorities have now introduced water cuts, while the minstry of agriculture is considering small-scale desalination units, but thies, too, may have adverse effects and not be cost effective. The Sunday Mail published "Ten Commandments" to help conserve this precious resource drawn up by Cyprus resident and environmental consultant Brian Ellis, and which are applicable not only in Cyprus, as the water crisis is a global issue, and the Ecumenical Water Network also has suggestions and ideas on protecting water "as a gift of God", more details at water.oikoumene.org.