Greece has announced a €2.5 billion ($2.92 billion) investment plan to protect its water resources over the next 30 years as the country grapples with severe drought and growing pressure on its dwindling supplies, Environment Minister Stavros Papastravrou said on Thursday.
Speaking at an event in Athens, Papastravrou warned that Greece is facing the second most severe water stress in southern Europe after Cyprus, with its two largest cities — Athens and Thessaloniki — expected to be the most affected.
“Greece will be facing the second most severe water stress in southern Europe after Cyprus,” the minister said.
The country, which uses around 10 billion cubic metres of water annually, has endured hotter summers and drier winters in recent years — a pattern scientists attribute to climate change. A major reservoir in central Greece, supplying nearly half of the country’s 10 million residents, has now dropped to its lowest level in decades.
Papastravrou revealed that Greece’s annual water reserves have declined by about 250 million cubic metres since 2022. Rainfall has decreased by 25%, evaporation has risen by 15%, and water consumption has increased by 6%.
To tackle the crisis, the minister outlined a seven-point strategy to strengthen the nation’s water infrastructure. The plan includes diverting water through tunnels from two tributaries to a western Greece reservoir, expanding desalination projects, and drilling new wells to secure adequate water supply for Athens and other urban centres.
Under broader reforms, Greece’s two largest water utilities, EYDAP and EYATH, will assume control of irrigation networks currently managed by local authorities. The move is aimed at modernising the country’s fragmented water management system and reducing significant losses from leaking pipelines.
“While Singapore and Israel are reusing every single drop twice or three times, our losses stand at 50%,” Papastravrou said.
He added that Greece will receive technical assistance from the European Commission to execute the long-term plan, describing it as essential to ensuring sustainable water access for future generations.
