HomeEurope

Greece Unveils Billion Dollar Water Strategy to Combat Drought

Europe 1 source 1 country 🔦 Under-reported 13m ago

The Greek government has unveiled a comprehensive national water management strategy backed by 901 water supply and sewerage projects worth €3.4 billion, aiming to strengthen the country’s resilience against drought and climate change. The investment programme will benefit more than 170 municipalities, covering over half of Greece’s local authorities, as part of the government’s second four-year term. The reform rests on four key pillars: strengthening municipal water infrastructure, developing Greece’s first National Water Strategy, consolidating water management under a more coordinated system, and leveraging European expertise and funding.

The government said the reforms will replace the current fragmented model with a unified framework designed to ensure safe, reliable and sustainable access to water while improving resilience to climate-related challenges. €3.4 Billion Infrastructure Programme The Ministry of Environment and Energy announced that the 901 projects will modernise water supply and wastewater networks across Greece through investments totalling €3.4 billion. Alongside the infrastructure programme, the government highlighted several institutional reforms already introduced, including Greece’s first National Operational Plan for Drinking Water, adopted in 2022 and scheduled for revision in March 2027.

Authorities also updated River Basin Management Plans in 2024, Flood Risk Management Plans in 2025, and introduced new legislation covering drinking water quality and drought management. New Regulatory Framework A key reform included the establishment of the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water (RAAEY), which oversees water service providers and monitors pricing and cost recovery rules. Since 1 January 2025, water providers have been required to prepare master plans identifying future water sources and investment priorities, demonstrate operational capacity, and submit performance data through a national monitoring system.

The new pricing framework introduces transparent tariff rules, consumption-based pricing, affordable entry-level rates, and discounted tariffs for vulnerable households, large families and public social services.Advertising1 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The reforms also address hidden water leaks, meter reading frequency and regulatory oversight of water pricing.

Summary from source
Read the full story at the source Greek City Times (Athens, Greece) · GR
Get the news on TelegramTop stories & under-reported picks, straight to your feed — free. Join →