Following Greece’s warmest winter and earliest heatwave on record, authorities are warning of severe water shortages during the Mediterranean summer.
In Athens, public service announcements urge residents to conserve water by turning off taps and not filling baths completely. The Mornos reservoir, the main water source for the Attica region, is 30 percent lower than the previous year, with overall reserves down nearly a quarter, according to water utility EYDAP. Attica, home to over a third of Greece’s population, has been placed on “yellow alert” to encourage reduced consumption.
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On Greece’s islands, which depend on wells and desalination plants, the water shortage is even more critical. The influx of tourists exacerbates the issue, with summer demand sometimes 100 times higher than in winter, according to Nikitas Mylopoulos, a water resource management professor. Poor water management compounds the problem, with islands like Leros declaring a state of emergency due to desalination plant malfunctions.
Other islands facing water scarcity include Sifnos, Chios, Lefkada, and Corfu. Sifnos’s mayor criticized water over-consumption for pools and gardens, while a resident of Lefkada blamed mismanagement and uncontrolled tourism development for their water woes. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced major water supply projects to address the shortages.
The situation is worsened by climate change-driven heat, with the mildest winter followed by a record-breaking June heatwave. This heat has increased the number of wildfires, with over a thousand reported last month, more than double from the previous year.
EYDAP’s head, Charalambos Sachinis, mentioned a “special plan” to tackle extreme water shortages, involving investments of around 750 million euros ($819 million). Additionally, plans are in place to tap Lake Yliki as an emergency source, although it is an energy-intensive solution.
Hydrologist Elissavet Feloni emphasized the need for a central body to manage water resources comprehensively across Greece.
