Crete Battles Water Waste and Shortages Amid Tourism Boom

Severe water shortage continue to impact Crete. The absence of enough rainfall and little snowfall over the winter failed to create the reserves the island needed to last through the summer. Little rain mixed with strong gusts did not help restore water supplies; hence, the area remains at great risk.

Official announcements state that the Aposelemis reservoir’s water supply will be limited until at least mid-April to help appropriately allocate resources for the high summer season. Enough water should be kept for the increasing demand from growing tourism and local needs. Authorities are assessing the best use for the current reserves in the following months.

Municipalities on High Alert

Every municipality—including Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra, Heraklion, and Hersonissos—has been assigned responsibility for wise water use. Local administrations must ensure that growing consumer demands are satisfied while meeting basic household needs. However, as many homeowners routinely waste water, the infrastructure suffers further strain.

Talks with professionals, such as Giorgos Vourexakis of Heraklion’s municipal water authority, underlined the difficulties. Despite some sporadic rain, it was insufficient to replenish aquifers or meet demand. Low reservoir levels mean that prolonging water-saving strategies until May will help to protect resources during the hottest summer season.

The Drill Down on Water Access

These projects still lack sufficient funding. The €150,000 central government grants to each municipality are significantly less than the financial support required to finish major projects. New boreholes, for instance, sometimes cost more than €250,000, forcing authorities to look for other alternatives.Active projects include making infrastructural upgrades where shallow drilling is feasible and reactivating previously thought less productive boreholes. Also under progress are attempts to obtain required licenses, especially for sites close to Malia and other vital zones.

Heraklion currently depends on 63 boreholes; when practical, plans call for more. However, the success of new drilling initiatives is unknown since engineers have to deal with erratic outcomes. Deeper drilling in areas like Mount Youchtas usually requires reaching depths of 400 meters, which can be expensive and ineffective.

Authorities underline the need for citizens to share responsibility for saving water for the approaching summer. Although more infrastructure and policies will help satisfy growing demand, preserving Crete’s water supply in the following months will depend mostly on personal knowledge and conservation.

The intended strategy is to use water from the Selemi Spring for around two months, especially in March and April. After that, this water supply will be distributed to satisfy municipal needs for roughly five to six months. Heraklion’s rising water use in September and October has exceeded usual summer highs in July and August. This change results from increasing visitor visitation; many choose to stay in short-term rentals like Airbnb, which have proliferated throughout the city.

It will take a group effort to control this consumption and guarantee that resources last until October. To encourage water conservation, authorities want to work with pertinent officials, including those linked to Airbnb hosts. These delegates will be urged to inform visitors of the urgent necessity of water conservation.

• Put obvious signs reminding guests of rental property to use water sensibly.
• Provide useful advice on how they could cut water consumption throughout their visit.

Such steps are essential since, statistically, guests use much more water than natives. This difference emphasizes the need to teach visitors about the area’s water issues.

Simple Water-Saving Hacks for Tourists

• Take shorter showers. Nobody needs a 20-minute soak during a heatwave.
• Skip daily towel and linen changes at hotels. Be lazy—it’s eco-friendly.
• Brush with a cup of water instead of letting the faucet run.
• Follow pool restrictions (yes, those fancy infinity pools guzzle water).

And if you’re booking Airbnb, expect to see signs urging you to conserve water. Don’t ignore them. Homeowners are under pressure to enforce these rules, so play nice.

Pools and Gardens: The Quiet Guzzlers

Concerns surrounding water use for swimming pools have also been expressed, but local authorities say there have been few complaints concerning Heraklion pools. Existing pools, primarily located in particular localities like Vasilies and Agios Ioannis, hardly cause significant problems. Many pool owners cut water use in winter by not filling their pools.

Although suburban gardens and home vegetable patches help with water consumption, many inhabitants view these as pastimes. This year, though, persons using similar techniques are advised to restrict or stop such activities to prioritize basic water demands.

Like hotels, bigger water users have been observed for effective resource management. Large hotels like Atlantis and Astoria run using water-saving technologies. The larger society is advised to adopt a similar strategy and prioritize responsible consumption to help efficiently manage the resources at hand.

This year demands more awareness and cooperation. By restricting garden irrigation or enhancing tourist education, these group initiatives will help protect Heraklion’s water supply during crucial times.

There are many choices for watering plants in this area, so a rigorous strategy is being followed. Using drip irrigation or other substitutes for traditional sprinklers saves a lot of money and helps prevent water expenses from increasing. Advanced technologies, including computerized water meters, guarantee fair prices and reliable consumption tracking. Everyone should adjust according to modern practices. Techniques like drip irrigation eventually help users and the environment by offering efficiency and economy.

Eye on the Future: Desalinating the Almyros River

The debate about using Almyros River water has been going on for decades. Now that preparations are underway, budget projections are almost finished. A preliminary investigation under progress will result in a tender for an extensive project review. This technique will ascertain the cost of desalinating water from Almyros together with related infrastructure.

• Processing expenses: Around €0.18 per cubic meter just to desalinate. Add electrical costs, and the price jumps to €0.50-€0.55 per cubic meter.
• Engineering nightmares: Transporting this water can be a logistical mess given the 8-kilometer pipeline setup required.

Analyzed are additional expenses, including the energy required for distribution and pipeline infrastructure to move desalinated water to large reservoirs. Should the study show viability and economy, Almyros water might augment Heraklion’s water requirements, supporting projects like the Aposelemis Dam. These are significant initiatives needing careful organization and preparation.

Already making progress, Malevizi’s Municipal Water and Sewerage Company (DEYA) generates 5,000 cubic meters of desalinated water daily. Still, maximizing the possibilities from freshwater sources depends on more study. Regional and state authorities must assist strong and comprehensive research projects to develop workable solutions.

The Fight for Funding

According to recent developments, DEYA’s administrative board is scheduled to accept a preliminary study today, enabling realistic cost assessments of desalination and water transportation within two to three months. Early projections show processing costs about 18 cents per cubic meter; electrical needs add roughly 34–35 cents, accounting for approximately 50–55 cents per cubic meter. Among these computations is transportation across an eight-kilometre distance, which presents significant engineering difficulties.

DEYA currently pays about 31 cents per cubic meter for water from the Aposelemis Dam and about 45 cents for groundwater using deep wells. Projects involving continuous pipeline replacement in Heraklion’s central neighborhoods are going smoothly. About eighty percent of the 2019-started project is finished, even if funding from the Ministry of Economy has been delayed during the past three months. Once money comes in, finishing projects including Kotseli, Papandreou, and Ethnikis Antistaseos—part of the remaining 20%—is expected. Improving infrastructure and lowering water loss depend on these changes.

Public collaboration and network improvements have recently helped lower water consumption. Although precise data is still pending, preliminary assessments suggest improved resource management through apparent savings.

Although financing difficulties have slowed development on several Heraklion projects, initiatives still aim to fill in gaps. Works, including those in areas like Ilioupoli, where the building has paused since 2021, require around €2 million to finish. To reach targets before the summer of 2025, authorities are advocating financing clearance.

Another encouraging step is installing 18,000 digital water meters through the Ministry of Development, which targets effective water management by late 2025. With updated systems and upgraded networks, Heraklion’s water supply system is on track to satisfy future needs while preserving priceless resources.