Greece has unveiled a landmark €2.5 billion ($2.92 billion) investment strategy to safeguard its water resources over the next 30 years, in response to growing drought conditions, shrinking reservoirs, and increasing pressure on its natural water systems.
The ambitious plan, announced on Thursday by Environment Minister Stavros Papastravrou at an event in Athens, is aimed at modernising Greece’s aging water infrastructure, combating the effects of climate change, and ensuring sustainable water access for future generations.
Papastravrou cautioned that Greece is now facing the second most severe water stress in southern Europe after Cyprus, warning that the country’s two largest urban centres — Athens and Thessaloniki — will bear the brunt of worsening shortages in the coming decades.
“Greece will be facing the second most severe water stress in southern Europe after Cyprus,”
the minister stated, underlining the urgency of the situation.
Mounting crisis and changing climate
The southern European nation, which consumes roughly 10 billion cubic metres of water annually, has been hit by a combination of hotter summers, drier winters, and prolonged droughts — conditions that scientists directly link to rapid climate change.
A major reservoir in central Greece, which supplies nearly half of the nation’s 10 million residents, has dropped to its lowest level in decades. Environmental experts warn that the continued decline could severely affect both domestic supply and agricultural production.
According to data presented by the Environment Ministry, Greece’s annual water reserves have fallen by about 250 million cubic metres since 2022, while rainfall has decreased by 25%, evaporation has risen by 15%, and water consumption has increased by 6%.
These alarming trends, Papastravrou said, reflect the country’s vulnerability to climate shocks and the urgent need to adopt a long-term, coordinated strategy for water management.
A seven-point plan for water security
To tackle the escalating crisis, the minister outlined a seven-point national water strategy that prioritises innovation, efficiency, and sustainability. The plan seeks to integrate both technological upgrades and institutional reforms to improve the overall management of water resources across the country.
Among the key initiatives are:
- Diversion tunnels to channel water from two tributaries into a major reservoir in western Greece.
- Expansion of desalination projects, particularly in island regions and coastal cities.
- Drilling of new wells to boost supply for Athens and other high-demand urban areas.
- Upgrading irrigation systems to reduce waste in the agricultural sector, which accounts for more than 80% of national water use.
- Digitisation and real-time monitoring of water distribution networks to detect and repair leaks more efficiently.
- Public awareness campaigns promoting water conservation.
- Partnerships with international experts to adopt best practices in sustainable resource management.
The plan represents a transformative shift in Greece’s approach to water policy, moving from reactive crisis management to proactive and long-term sustainability.
Modernising utilities and tackling losses
As part of the sweeping reforms, Greece’s two largest water utilities — EYDAP (Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company) and EYATH (Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company) — will assume control of the irrigation grid currently managed by smaller local authorities.
This restructuring aims to streamline the country’s fragmented water governance system, improve efficiency, and curb the enormous losses caused by outdated infrastructure.
“While Singapore and Israel are reusing every single drop twice or three times, our losses stand at 50%,” Papastravrou lamented, noting that much of Greece’s water loss comes from leaky or poorly maintained pipes.
The consolidation of management under the larger utilities, he said, would facilitate the adoption of new technologies, reduce waste, and improve accountability in both urban and agricultural water distribution.
International partnerships and EU support
Greece will also receive technical and advisory support from the European Commission to implement the 30-year water security plan. The collaboration is expected to help align Greece’s strategy with the European Union’s Green Deal and Water Framework Directive, which call for sustainable use of natural resources and climate resilience across member states.
Papastravrou described the investment as a “vital, forward-looking measure” that would secure water access not only for the current generation but also for decades to come.
“This plan is about preparing Greece for the future.
It is about ensuring that every citizen, every farmer, and every business has access to clean and sustainable water — even under the most challenging conditions,” he said.
The long-term blueprint will also create new opportunities for research collaboration and infrastructure innovation between Greek universities, private companies, and international partners in the water sector.
A regional and global concern
Greece’s water crisis is part of a wider trend across the Mediterranean and North Africa, where droughts, overuse, and climate change are putting unprecedented strain on limited freshwater supplies.
In neighbouring Morocco, authorities have launched a massive program to expand desalination and improve waterway management in response to worsening droughts — a move that mirrors Greece’s new strategy.
Meanwhile, India’s recent suspension of the Indus Water Treaty has raised global concern over potential regional water conflicts, underscoring how critical access to water is becoming as populations rise and resources shrink.
Across Europe, the European Union has unveiled a €200 billion investment plan for Artificial Intelligence applications, part of which will focus on developing digital systems for water efficiency, environmental monitoring, and climate resilience — complementing Greece’s new initiative.
A call for collective responsibility
Experts argue that the success of Greece’s water investment plan will depend not only on government policy but also on citizen participation, agricultural reform, and corporate responsibility.
Sustainable water management, they stress, requires behavioural change alongside infrastructure investment. The government is therefore expected to launch public education campaigns to encourage households and farmers to adopt more efficient water practices.
By making water security a national priority, Greece hopes to become a regional leader in climate adaptation and resource management — turning a looming environmental challenge into an opportunity for innovation and resilience.
As Papastravrou concluded,
“This is not just a plan to fight drought — it is a plan to safeguard Greece’s future.”
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