Urgent Call for Water Management in Crete

Update: for a possible solution, please read Addressing Water Scarcity in Crete: Innovative Air-to-water Solutions

• Experts stress the need for a water management plan in Crete.
• Current conditions are extreme due to low rainfall and high temperatures.
• Tensions among residents, farmers, and tourism over water resources are inevitable.
• Short-term measures like usage restrictions and repairs are essential.
• Long-term solutions include adopting agroecology and creating a central water management agency.
• Water issues are also affecting other parts of the country, like Corinth, Messinia, and Kythera.

The chronic water scarcity in Crete continues to escalate. Crete’s reservoirs started showing signs of severe depletion as early as March, foreshadowing a harsh summer ahead. The current state of the reservoirs is alarming and insufficient to address the island’s growing water crisis. Communities throughout Crete are frantically adopting measures to conserve and manage their diminishing water supplies in preparation for an arid season. In Kokkino Chorio, located in the Chania region, residents endure harsh living conditions, having gone months without access to water.

Experts from the University of Crete’s Museum of Natural History have sounded the alarm about the island’s urgent need for a comprehensive water resources management plan. The team has identified the current conditions on the southern Aegean island as critical, describing the situation as “extreme” due to very low rainfall, reduced snowfall, and two consecutive years of high temperatures.

Severe Impact on Daily Life

As summer progresses and water needs rise with the peak of the tourism season in August, many parts of the island face significant challenges. The experts warned that the situation could lead to conflicts among residents, farmers, and the tourism industry over limited water resources.

Immediate Measures Recommended

The experts called for immediate measures to curb water waste to address the looming crisis. These include restrictions on water usage in urban areas, and awareness campaigns targeted at tourist facilities. Additionally, they emphasized the need for urgent repairs and upgrades to the existing water network to minimize loss and improve efficiency.

Long-term Solutions for Sustainability

Looking ahead, the primary sector must embrace agroecological principles to ensure sustainable water use. Furthermore, the experts advocated for the establishment of a central water management agency. This body would organise water supplies, manage networks, set pricing policies, and ensure a coordinated water resource management approach.

• Greek Islands Grapple with Water Shortages Amid Heatwave
• Water Shortage: Minoa Pediada Declares State of Emergency
• Travel Alert: Water Scarcity on Greek Holiday Islands Amid Peak Tourist Season
• Crete Water Shortage Crisis: Municipalities Declare State of Emergency
• Crete’s Depleted Dams Spark Water Crisis This Summer

Water Shortages Across Greece

The issue is not confined to Crete alone. Similar problems with drought and water shortages are being reported in other parts of Greece, including Corinth, Messinia in the southwestern Peloponnese, and the increasingly popular tourist destination of Kythera off the southeastern Peloponnese coast.