Despite the intense rainfall of the last quarter, water scarcity is evolving into one of Greece’s biggest challenges, testing both urban centers—particularly Attica—and the countryside. Climate change, reduced rainfall, extreme weather events, and water overconsumption create a new, pressing environment for the country’s water resources, which now ranks 19th globally in terms of water scarcity risk. In this context, the exclusive partnership between the AKTOR Group and the Suez Group, a global leader in water management, creates the strongest alliance for addressing water scarcity and water management issues. Both Groups possess significant expertise and experience in complex infrastructure projects covering the entire water resource cycle, from drinking water supply to wastewater treatment, with great emphasis on sustainability, innovation, and circular economy.
Read: Strategic SUEZ – AKTOR partnership for comprehensive water cycle solutions
Water scarcity: How did we get here
The issue is structural and multifactorial. According to a World Resources Institute study and a Deloitte report on water management in Greece, our country recorded more than double the water withdrawals in recent years. This increase is driven by losses in distribution networks (due to aging or inadequate maintenance) resulting in approximately 50% of drinking water being lost. Simultaneously, there is overconsumption of irrigation water for agricultural production purposes. Greece spends the largest volume of water per hectare in the EU, with agriculture absorbing 70-80% of resources, often through inefficient methods. The significant increase in tourism also plays an important role, particularly in the Cyclades and other high-interest destinations where demand far exceeds the carrying capacity of local resources.
Addressing the issue
The creation and upgrade of dams, reservoirs, and flow regulation works, combined with the modernization of water supply and irrigation networks, are decisive factors for ensuring water adequacy. Simultaneously, reducing network losses, integrating new technologies, and utilizing water recycling and reuse solutions can significantly enhance infrastructure resilience against future pressures. The scientific community emphasizes that the solution lies not only in finding new resources but in the rational management of existing ones. Despite sporadic rainfall, the absence of adequate storage works leads enormous amounts of freshwater into the sea.
