Greece Faces Urgent Water Crisis as EU Pushes for Conservation

The picturesque region of Argolida in southern Greece is grappling with a severe water crisis that reflects broader challenges across Europe.

As water seeps through cracked irrigation canals and outdated pipes lose more than half of their supply, local officials warn of a growing threat to both public health and agriculture.

During the scorching summer months, when reservoir levels plummet, the regional capital of Nafplion issues warnings against drinking contaminated brackish water. “You can smell the difference in the water, feel the dryness on your clothes,” said Lydia Sarakinioti, a local jeweller who relies on bottled water even for cooking.

In response to escalating water scarcity, the European Union has launched an ambitious campaign to combat the crisis, which it estimates affects 38% of its population. By next year, EU countries must assess water leakage levels before a legally binding threshold is enforced. The initiative, expected to cost hundreds of billions of euros, comes as climate change fuels erratic rainfall and record-breaking temperatures across southern Europe.

For Greece, a country already burdened by years of economic hardship, the scale of the problem is immense. Government figures indicate that nearly half of the nation’s drinking water is lost due to leaks and theft—almost double the EU average of 23%. Many regions lack comprehensive, digitised maps of their underground pipeline networks, exacerbating the challenge of effective water management.

Since 2019, Greece has invested over €1.5 billion in drinking water infrastructure. Yet, Argolida, a major agricultural hub producing a third of the country’s oranges, illustrates how much remains to be done. “There are many problems, and we are trying to gradually tackle them all,” said Socrates Doris, head of Nafplion’s municipal water provider, which is seeking EU funding to modernize its network.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged improvements during a visit to Argolida in November, including the expansion of irrigation networks and the installation of a desalination unit. However, government officials stress that fundamental fixes must come first. “If an area’s network leaks everywhere, what’s the point of buying a new desalination unit or drilling a well?” asked Petros Varelidis, Secretary General for Water Resources at the Environment Ministry. In some areas, leakages reach an astonishing 80%, he added.

The Impact of Poor Water Quality

Beyond scarcity, the region also struggles with water quality. When the lake supplying Nafplion shrinks, authorities supplement it with brackish water from a submarine spring in Anavalos. Tests from June 2022 to November 2024, reviewed by Reuters, revealed excessive levels of chlorides and sodium—posing health risks to individuals with blood pressure or kidney issues.

The crisis extends beyond Nafplion. In the coastal town of Ermioni, only 8% of the 13,500 residents have continuous access to safe drinking water, according to data presented in parliament. As a result, most locals rely on bottled water, creating additional environmental concerns.

“The quality is really bad. It harms electric devices like washing machines,” said Evi Leventi, a 58-year-old resident of Ermioni.

Meanwhile, farmers in drought-stricken fields outside the town are drilling up to 300 meters underground in search of water. Often, they find only salty remnants of what were once freshwater aquifers, now contaminated by seawater intrusion.

“Every drop of water is indispensable,” said farmer George Mavras. “We pin our hopes on rainy winters.”

As Greece and its European neighbours brace for the mounting impacts of climate change, the battle for water security is shaping up to be one of the continent’s most pressing challenges.

Source: pagenews.gr