Government heralds investments to bolster water resources

The Mornos reservoir, a cardinal water source for Athens, has shrunk to the smallest it has been since 2014. [InTime News]

As clime alteration takes a rising toll connected water resources crossed the country, including successful the Greek capital, “we request to beryllium prepared for the worst,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned connected Thursday, heralding a €2.5 cardinal programme to strengthen supply and amended water management. 

“Attica faces the imaginable of a very superior water supply occupation if we bash not take drastic measures,” Mitsotakis told an lawsuit marking the 100th day of the Attica Water Company (EYDAP) connected Thursday, going connected to underscore the request for a “vertical increase” successful EYDAP’s investments to amended the grid and unafraid aboriginal supply.

The wide strokes of the government’s program for water absorption were outlined earlier successful the lawsuit astatine the Goulandris Natural History Museum successful the bluish Athens suburb of Kifissia by Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou. 

One of the biggest projects concerns partially diverting the travel of the Krikeliotis and Karpenisiotis rivers to the Evinos Reservoir, which supplies the Greek capital. This task is slated for completion by the archetypal fractional of 2029, aft which Attica’s is expected to beryllium secured for the adjacent 30 years.

More immediately, EYDAP is readying to tap three wells – 1 successful Attica and the different two successful neighboring Viotia – that are expected to supply a combined publication of astir 150 cardinal cubic meters of water annually erstwhile completed.

Another task that is under improvement is an onshore desalination works with a capableness of 87.5 cardinal cubic meters per year, the curate noted.

In the meantime, EYDAP is besides successful the process of replacing and repairing Attica’s vast water supply web to amended ratio and incorporate wastage.

As for Greece’s islands, which are besides facing superior water shortages, Papastavrou said 151 projects with a total fund exceeding €320 cardinal are already under way connected much than 40 islands to amended water supply and wastewater systems.