River diversions to end Attica drought risk

Greece will determination up successful 2026 with the partial diversion of two rivers successful Evrytania toward the Evinos dam done a restricted bidding process among the country’s largest operation firms, authorities officials announced Thursday.

The 535-million-euro project, expected to decorativeness by mid-2029, aims to unafraid Attica’s water supply for the adjacent three decades.

The plan, presented during an lawsuit marking the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company, EYDAP’s 100th day astatine the Goulandris Natural History Museum and attended by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, includes connecting the Krikelliotis and Karpenisiotis rivers to the Evinos reservoir via two tunnels of 14 and 6 kilometers.

“The task will guarantee astir 200 cardinal cubic meters of water annually,” said Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou.

The tunnels will lone divert overflow water from rainfall, preserving stream ecosystems.

EYDAP CEO Harry Sachinis said the institution whitethorn concern operation and repay costs gradually. The declaration will proceed under a 2016 instrumentality allowing negotiated procedures successful urgent cases – a method besides used for post-Storm Daniel flood power works.

The Environment Ministry besides announced an enlargement of EYDAP’s and EYATH’s (Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company) responsibilities.

EYDAP will present negociate water supply and irrigation successful Viotia, Fokida and Evia, while EYATH will oversee Halkidiki alongside Thessaloniki.

“It’s an experiment,” Papastavrou said, noting that results will pass nationalist water absorption policy.

The authorities secured European Commission technical assistance to measure and upgrade the remaining 110 municipal utilities, citing losses averaging 50%. In Attica, water losses are 15%, with a extremity to trim them to 11%.

Plans for desalination plants stay successful an aboriginal phase. EYDAP is studying three options – successful Thisvi, Nea Peramos, and Lavrio – ranging from 20 to 87.5 cardinal cubic meters annually. The units would beryllium movable to different regions if nary longer needed.

Sachinis declined to remark connected imaginable complaint increases until regulators o.k. caller tariffs, stressing that “water successful Attica remains and will stay the cheapest successful Europe.” Mitsotakis reaffirmed that EYDAP will stay 51% publically owned, pursuing a Council of State ruling.