Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

The “Nitrate Vulnerable Zones” layer displays the dataset published by the Water Development Department (WDD) for the zones designated under EU Directive 91/676/EEC — the Nitrates Directive.

What the Nitrates Directive is

Directive 91/676/EEC protects waters against pollution by nitrates from agricultural sources — chiefly nitrogen fertilisers and livestock manure. In high concentrations, nitrates degrade drinking water and cause eutrophication: the over-enrichment of rivers, reservoirs and coastal waters that leads to algal growth and oxygen depletion.

Member states identify the areas that drain into waters which are polluted, or at risk of pollution, by nitrates and designate them as vulnerable zones; within each zone a binding action programme applies to agricultural practice. In Cyprus, the WDD publishes the geographical boundaries of the designated zones — and that is the dataset the map reproduces.

What the designation restricts

Inside a vulnerable zone, the action programme regulates mainly the use of nitrogen: maximum quantities of fertiliser and manure per crop, closed periods during which spreading is prohibited, storage requirements for livestock manure, and safety distances from watercourses, boreholes and other sensitive points.

The precise obligations are set by the action programme and the legislation in force at the time. For the measures that apply today, contact the competent government departments — the Water Development Department and the Department of Agriculture.

Who it mainly concerns

The designation primarily concerns farming and livestock activity: fields, plantations and animal-rearing units within the zone. If you farm — or are considering buying — agricultural land, the designation shapes everyday practice: what fertilisation is allowed, when, and how.

For homes and non-agricultural uses the designation is not usually decisive, but it is useful context for the area: it tells you its groundwater or surface waters have been assessed as polluted, or at risk, from nitrates.

What the map shows

The map displays the zones as published in the WDD dataset. Switch the layer on in the “Water” group and tap a point: if it falls within a designated zone, the relevant indication appears. No indication means “outside the mapped zones of the dataset” — for confirmation at parcel level the WDD is the competent authority.

As with every layer on the map, the data are reproduced from the public services as published and do not constitute an official attestation.