Greece announced on Thursday that it will invest €2.5 billion ($2.9 billion) over the next decade to address a mounting drought challenge threatening its two largest cities and numerous islands.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized the urgency of the initiative, stating, “It may snow, it may rain…but hope is not a strategy… we must be prepared for the worst possible scenario.”
Shielding Attica for 30 years
Mitsotakis specifically highlighted the critical risk to the capital region.
“Attica is facing a potentially very big water supply problem if we do not take drastic measures,” he noted, setting a clear goal: to ensure the region’s water supply is secure for the next 30 years. He stressed the need for a “sharp increase in EYDAP investments” (the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company).
He further stressed that EYDAP will remain a public company with the Greek state holding 51% of its shares.
Key projects and timeline
Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, announced that the €2.5 billion investment will be distributed across seven strategic axes to implement the water management plan, mitigating the risk of future shortages intensified by climate change.
Papastavrou detailed the cornerstones of the long-term strategy:
Evrytos project: This flagship project involves the partial diversion of the Krikeliotis and Karpenisiotis rivers into the Evinos River. Named “Evrytos” (symbolizing good, unimpeded flow), this project is designed to shield Attica for the next three decades. Completion is estimated for the first half of 2029, approximately four years from now and a century after the completion of the historic Marathon Dam.
Short-Term Actions: EYDAP is immediately pursuing actions to protect Attica’s supply, including exploiting and activating new drilling sites in Mavrosouvala, Ungroi, and Boeotian Kifissos. Once completed, these are expected to contribute an additional 150 million cubic meters of water per year.
Medium-Term Reserves (In Case of Need):
The plan also matures two significant medium-term projects:
A water lifting pipeline project within the External Water Supply System (EWS) to enable interconnection with future desalination plants.
Onshore Desalination projects capable of producing 87.5 million cubic meters of water per year.
Related: Mornos Decline: Satellite Images Show Athens’ Critical Water Loss
