Greece expresses concern over potential water shortages following earliest heatwave ever
Date
7/15/2024 4:49:42 AM
(MENAFN) Following Greece's warmest winter and earliest heatwave on record, authorities are increasingly concerned about the potential for severe water shortages as the Mediterranean summer progresses. Public service announcements in Athens have begun urging residents to conserve water, with messages like “Would you like some water? Turn off the tap!” and reminders not to fill baths to capacity.
As of early July, the Mornos reservoir, located about 200 kilometers (125 miles) west of Athens and serving as the primary water source for the Attica region, reported a 30 percent decrease in water levels compared to the same time last year. Overall water reserves in Attica have fallen by nearly a quarter, according to the local water utility company EYDAP. This region, home to over 3.7 million people, has been placed on a “yellow alert,” prompting EYDAP to call for reduced water consumption to maintain sustainable reserves.
The situation is even more critical on Greece's islands, which typically rely on wells and desalination plants for their water supply. The influx of millions of tourists each summer exacerbates the problem, significantly increasing demand. Nikitas Mylopoulos, a professor of water resource management at the University of Thessaly, highlighted that on some islands suffering from over-tourism, summer water demand can be up to 100 times greater than in winter.
Compounding these challenges, a state of emergency was declared at the end of June for the Dodecanese island of Leros, where the local council cited malfunctions at the desalination plant, attributing the issues to past poor maintenance. This ongoing crisis underscores the urgent need for better water management practices in the face of rising tourism and climate challenges.
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