A water emergency has been declared for the greater Athens area and two Greek islands. The Greek Ministry of the Environment announced the measure, which also affects the Aegean islands of Patmos and Leros, on Friday evening because the greater Athens area, with an average annual consumption of 250 million cubic meters, only has water reserves of 400 million cubic meters remaining. However, this does not currently entail any obligation for residents of the affected regions to restrict their water consumption.
The declaration of a water emergency is intended to accelerate improvements to the water supply infrastructure. “It is no longer possible to postpone difficult decisions,” Greek Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou told Skai TV on Friday evening. Therefore, with the declaration of a water emergency, the construction of critical infrastructure will now be given priority.
“In areas where water consumption increases significantly due to tourism, more attention and planning are needed to avoid unmanageable situations in the summer,” the minister warned.
According to Papastavrou’s ministry, Greece is currently experiencing a drought comparable only to the crisis of 1988-1994. According to the Athens water utility Eydap, annual rainfall in Greece has decreased by about a quarter since 2022, while evaporation has increased by 15 percent and water consumption by around six percent.
The Greek government announced last month that it would invest €2.5 billion in water infrastructure over the next decade. Among other things, two tributaries of the Acheloos River in the west of the country are to be diverted by 2029. Drilling and desalination plants are also intended to improve the water supply. According to the Ministry of the Environment, more than 150 water projects, totaling over €320 million, are currently being implemented on more than 40 islands.
AFP – Translated by Blackout News