- A power grid blip triggered a water turbidity spike at the Aposelemis Dam refinery, forcing a sudden shutoff of municipal water distribution to Eastern Crete late Thursday night.
- Hersonissos Mayor Zacharias Doxastakis warned that prolonged disruptions could lead to unmanageable conditions during peak August holiday occupancy exceeding 200,000 people.
- Heraklion loses roughly 12,000 cubic meters of daily water—30% of its total urban supply—while Hersonissos and Agios Nikolaos lose over 10,000 combined.
- Local utilities activated 42 backup wells in Malia, Thrapsano, and Anopoli, while major resort hotels rely on private desalination units and water truck contracts.
- Development Organization of Crete (OAK) CEO Aris Papadogiannis recalled technical staff from holiday leave, expecting full system restoration within hours.
Authorities in Heraklion, Hersonissos and Agios Nikolaos are scrambling to manage water supplies after a disruption at the Aposelemis water treatment facility temporarily halted supplies from the reservoir to the three municipalities at the height of Crete’s summer tourism season.
Municipal water services have activated alternative sources to limit the impact, but Hersonissos Mayor Zacharias Doxastakis has warned that a prolonged interruption could create serious problems in an area where major hotels are operating at close to full capacity, and the population can exceed 200,000 during the summer.
“We need an immediate solution so that we do not end up in uncontrollable situations,” Doxastakis said.
The disruption followed a power outage affecting the facility. According to Aris Papagiannis, CEO of the Organisation for the Development of Crete (OAK), a problem occurred during the restart of the treatment plant, resulting in increased water turbidity.
Papagiannis described the problem as manageable and limited, stressing that it was not caused by a shortage of replacement parts or a major equipment failure. Technical staff was mobilized to restore the facility, and he said the interruption should last only hours.
The treatment plant was temporarily taken offline so that water quality could be restored before supplies resumed to the municipal water utilities.
Hersonissos has activated alternative water sources, including approximately 40 to 42 operating wells in the Malia, Thrapsano and Anopoli areas.
These sources can provide additional water, but Doxastakis stressed that they would not be sufficient to replace the full volume supplied by Aposelemis if the disruption were to continue for an extended period.
The municipality also has an agreement with a private contractor to supply water by tanker to homes experiencing localized supply problems. However, the mayor said this arrangement could not provide a solution for a widespread and prolonged interruption affecting the entire municipality.
