Urgent Call for Water Management in Crete Amid Severe Shortage

A group of experts from the University of Crete’s (UOC) Museum of Natural History has issued a stark warning about the urgent need for a comprehensive water resources management plan for Crete to avoid severe drought.

The UOC team described the current conditions on the southern Aegean island as “extreme,” following disappointing hydrological data that revealed very low rainfall and snowfall, coupled with two years of exceptionally high temperatures.

In their statement, the experts emphasised that while nature might have some adaptation mechanisms, the problem will likely worsen as summer progresses and water needs rise with the peak of the tourism season in August. They foresee inevitable tensions between residents, farmers, and the tourism industry over water resources if action is not taken.

The experts have called for immediate measures to curb water waste, including usage restrictions in cities, an awareness-raising campaign at tourist facilities, and critical repairs and upgrades to the water network. They stressed the need for the primary sector to adopt agroecological principles and highlighted the necessity of establishing a central water management agency to oversee supplies, networks, and pricing policies.

The water shortage issue is not confined to Crete. Similar problems are being reported across Greece, including recent droughts in Corinth, Messinia in the southwestern Peloponnese, and the increasingly popular tourist destination of Kythera, off the southeastern Peloponnese coast.