Mitsotakis Convenes Crisis Meeting as Athens Faces Looming Water Shortage – iefimerida.gr

Greece’s leadership convened an emergency session at the Maximos Mansion to confront mounting water stress in the Attica basin, amid data showing declining reserves and prolonged dry conditions. Officials described the gathering as a focused effort to accelerate immediate safeguards while laying the foundation for long-term resilience in the country’s most populous region.

Why the Alarm Was Sounded

Recent hydrological assessments point to a sustained deficit in rainfall and reservoir recharge across Attica. With urban demand trending upward and seasonal peaks approaching, authorities are prioritizing measures that preserve water as a public good and ensure uninterrupted supply for millions of residents. The tone from the meeting was pragmatic: act now to manage risk, and invest quickly to avoid deeper crises in the years ahead.

What Was Discussed

Participants examined a package of short-term and structural options designed to stabilize supply and reduce waste. While final decisions will be announced in the coming weeks, proposals under review include:

• Targeted tariff adjustments of roughly €3–€4 per household to finance critical upgrades, with safeguards for low-income households.
• Accelerated repair and replacement of aging distribution networks to cut leakage, which remains a major source of loss in metropolitan systems.
• Expanded monitoring through smart metering, pressure management, and rapid leak detection technologies to improve efficiency.
• Short-term demand management measures during peak-use periods, such as irrigation timing guidance and restrictions on non-essential uses if conditions worsen.
• Fast-tracking of water recycling for industrial and municipal applications to ease pressure on potable supplies.
• Strategic interconnections and storage enhancements to improve flexibility in moving water where it is needed most.

Officials also underscored the need to coordinate with municipal authorities and utilities to ensure communication is clear and that any conservation measures are both equitable and enforceable.

Athens and Thessaloniki in Focus

The capital and the country’s second-largest city are considered the most vulnerable to shortages due to dense population, tourism-related surges, and legacy infrastructure that struggles during dry spells. Investments prioritized in the meeting aim to strengthen redundancy in supply, modernize distribution, and diversify sources where feasible. The financing component—whether via modest tariff changes, public budgets, or blended funding—was framed as a means to accelerate essential works rather than a long-term burden on households.

Climate Pressures Escalate

The broader backdrop is sobering: the eastern Mediterranean has emerged as a climate hotspot, with hotter summers, erratic rainfall, and longer dry periods amplifying water stress. As heatwaves become more frequent and evaporation rates climb, even average years place greater strain on urban systems. The government framed the issue not as a passing challenge but as a structural shift requiring persistent adaptation—smarter use of every liter, robust drought planning, and infrastructure designed for a warmer, drier future.

What Residents Can Expect

In the near term, residents are unlikely to face abrupt disruptions if conservation targets are met and near-term repairs proceed on schedule. Authorities are preparing communication campaigns to encourage efficient household and business use, particularly around outdoor watering and seasonal spikes. Should conditions deteriorate, officials indicated that phased restrictions would be implemented with clear timelines and exceptions for essential needs.

Balancing Equity and Urgency

Any change to tariffs will be calibrated to protect vulnerable consumers, according to people familiar with the discussions. The goal is to open a reliable funding path for leak reduction, storage upgrades, and water reuse—investments that pay for themselves over time by stabilizing supply and curbing losses. Transparency on how revenue is allocated, coupled with measurable performance targets (such as leak reduction percentages and installation of smart meters), is expected to be part of the rollout.

Next Steps

Formal announcements are anticipated in the coming weeks, once technical teams finalize timelines and cost estimates. Until then, planners are prioritizing rapid, high-impact actions—fixing known leak hotspots, preparing demand management protocols, and coordinating with regional authorities—while mapping a multi-year program to climate-proof water systems across Attica and beyond.

The message from the crisis meeting was clear: securing water for Athens, Thessaloniki, and surrounding regions requires immediate pragmatism and long-term resolve. With climate pressures intensifying, resilient infrastructure and smarter consumption are no longer optional—they are the cornerstone of urban security.