- The Organization for the Development of Crete (OAK) announced an open tender for a major water pipeline project from the Aposelemi Dam.
- The pipelines will supply water to multiple areas in the wider Agios Nikolaos municipality.
- Project budget: €14,800,000 (excluding VAT).
- Funding: Ministry program “Environment and Climate Change 2021–2027.”
- Areas to benefit include: Neapoli, Vrahasi, Sisi, Milatos, Nikithiano, Limnes, Houmeriako, Messa–Exo Lakonia, Kritsa, and Elounda.
- DEYAAN (Agios Nikolaos Water & Sewerage Company) played a decisive role in maturing the study and securing funding.
- The project is considered critical due to the severe drought in Eastern Crete, including areas under high tourism pressure.
- Mayor Manolis Menegakis thanked:
- OAK president Theodoros Ninos
- DEYAAN president & agricultural affairs councillor Konstantinos Afordakos
- and DEYAAN staff
- Menegakis called the tender a “decisive step” toward upgrading the water supply and boosting resilience.
Eastern Crete has been living with the anxiety of drought, as if it were part of the landscape. Some days, it feels like water has become a seasonal luxury rather than a basic public service.
So when a real infrastructure project moves forward — not in theory, not in promises, but in a public tender — that is news worth treating as a turning point.
The Organization for the Development of Crete (OAK) has announced an open tender to select a contractor to build water supply pipelines from the Aposelemi Dam to a long list of communities in the wider Agios Nikolaos area.
And the scale is not symbolic:
€14.8 million (excluding VAT).
Funding comes through the Ministry of Economy and Finance program:
“Environment and Climate Change 2021–2027.”
That matters because it places the project within a robust funding framework—not a vague “we are exploring options” statement.
Areas That Will Get Water Support Include:
The project concerns pipeline construction bringing water toward:
- Neapoli
- Vrahasi
- Sisi
- Milatos
- Nikithiano
- Limnes
- Houmeriako
- Messa–Exo Lakonia
- Kritsa
- Elounda
This is a significant footprint. It strengthens not only residents and year-round local needs, but also areas with intense seasonal demand — especially along the tourism belt.
And in this moment—when Eastern Crete is facing severe drought—stable water infrastructure is not “development.” It is damage control.
DEYAAN and the Work Behind the Scenes
The Municipal Water & Sewerage Company of Agios Nikolaos (DEYAAN) is credited with playing a decisive role in:
- advancing the relevant study to maturity
- pursuing and securing the project funding
- and pushing the process to reach the tender stage
This is the kind of invisible administrative work people rarely praise — until a crisis forces everyone to notice what happens when it goes undone.
Mayor Menegakis: “A Decisive Step” for Water Stability
Agios Nikolaos Mayor Manolis Menegakis publicly welcomed the development, thanking OAK president Theodoros Ninos for the close cooperation that accelerated the necessary procedures.
He also thanked:
- Konstantinos Afordakos, president of DEYAAN and delegated advisor for agricultural affairs
- and the DEYAAN service staff
In his statement, Menegakis called the tender announcement:
“a decisive step for the substantial upgrade of water supply in our municipality.”
He underlined that, with drought hitting Eastern Crete hard, strengthening water infrastructure becomes even more critical — ensuring adequacy and stability for:
- residents
- businesses
- and visitors
He closed by emphasizing that the municipal authority continues to pursue projects that strengthen local resilience and improve the quality of life.