In Argolis, more than half of the drinking water is lost due to the age and damage of the region’s water supply system, leading to water scarcity, according to Reuters. Authorities state that water escapes from cracks in an irrigation canal feeding a plain, and old underground pipes lose more than half of the water pumped through them.
The water shortage also affects the residents of Nafplio, who mainly use bottled water, while only 8% of the 13,500 residents of Ermioni have access to drinking water.
Greece loses about half of its drinking water due to leaks, nearly twice the EU average of 23%, and has spent over €1.5 billion on drinking water infrastructure since 2019, according to the government.
Tests on sources, such as Anavalos, which feeds the lake supplying Nafplio when it shrinks, have shown that the water is of poor quality.
But Argolis, an agricultural hub producing about a third of Greece’s oranges, shows that much more is needed.
Water scarcity is also affecting water quality. “You can smell the difference in the water, feel the dryness on your clothes,” say the residents.
Meanwhile, the EU has launched a campaign to address the water crisis caused by climate change, which, according to the EU, already affects 38% of its population. Member states have until next year to assess leak levels.
The program to address the water crisis is expected to cost billions.
