Greece’s Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, signed a landmark decision on Wednesday (24/06) enrolling nine island municipalities in the “Drinking Water Supply and Water Management Interventions” program — part of the Ministry of Environment and Energy’s Sectoral Development Programme. The signing took place at a special ceremony held at the ministry, with the program funding 10 projects across 9 island municipalities at a total cost exceeding €15 million.
These new projects are set to significantly improve water supply conditions across the beneficiary municipalities. Key outcomes include reducing water leakage through the repair and upgrading of aging networks, expanding water access through the construction of new infrastructure, and securing adequate water supply in areas affected by water scarcity through the installation of new desalination units and associated support works.
Water scarcity: which islands will receive interventions
- In the Cyclades, existing water supply networks will be upgraded in Naxos, and a new water storage tank will be constructed in Amorgos.
- In the Dodecanese, desalination units will be installed in Astypalaia, water supply networks will be repaired and expanded in Rhodes, and desalination units along with supporting infrastructure will be installed in Leros.
- In the Sporades, water networks will be upgraded in Skopelos, and desalination support works will be carried out in Alonnisos.
- In the Ionian Islands, a drinking water treatment facility will be installed in Zakynthos.
- In Crete, water networks will be upgraded in Viannos.
Papastavrou: “The government stands by the islands with actions, not words”
Following the signing, Stavros Papastavrou stated: “Today’s signing is not an isolated intervention. It is part of a comprehensive policy for the responsible management of water resources — one built on planning, collaboration, and a focus on the regions facing the greatest pressures. It follows on from the National Water Strategy we put out for public consultation just days ago, and precedes the upcoming bill addressing the fragmentation of water service providers, which is imminent.”
“The government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis has proven that it stands by the regions, and especially by our islands — not with words, but with actions. With resources, with projects, and with interventions that improve everyday life,” the minister added.
The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Vassilis Kikilias, Governor of the South Aegean Region Giorgos Hatzimarkos, and New Democracy MPs Giannis Pappas and Manolis Konsolas (Dodecanese), Christos Triantapoulos and Christos Boukoros (Magnesia), Dionysis Aktypis (Zakynthos), and Lefteris Avgenakis (Heraklion, Crete).
Also in attendance were the mayors of Naxos and the Small Cyclades, Dimitris Lianos; Amorgos, Lefteris Karaiskos; Skopelos, Stamatis Perissis; Alonnisos, Panagiotis Anagnostou; Zakynthos, Giorgos Stasinopoulos; Viannos, Pavlos Baritakis; and Leros, Timotheos Kottakis. The mayors of Rhodes, Alexandros Koliades, and Astypalaia, Nikos Komineas, participated via video conference. Also present was the Secretary General for the Natural Environment and Water at the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Petros Varelidis.
