A decision to include mainland municipalities and DEYA from Thessaly, Central Greece and Eastern Macedonia in the program “Interventions for the provision of drinking water and water management” was signed today, at an event at the Ministry of Environment and Energy, by the competent minister Stavros Papastavrou.
The decision concerns 16 projects in 9 municipalities, with a total budget of 16,618,000 euros, to address water scarcity, and comes as a continuation of last week's decision to strengthen 9 island municipalities with 10 projects worth more than 15 million euros.
The event was attended by the Deputy Minister of Justice and New Democracy MP for Phocis, Ioannis Bougas, and the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Insurance, New Democracy MP for Aetolia-Acarnania, Kostas Karagkounis, and the MPs, of Larissa, Christos Kellas and Christos Kapetanos, of Aetolia-Acarnania, Thanasis Papathanasis, of Euboea, Athanasios Zempilis, Simos Kedikoglou and Konstantina Karampatsoli, of Trikala, Konstantinos Skrekas, Athanasios Lioutas and Katerina Papakosta, of Magnesia, Zetta Makri and Christos Triantopoulos, Christos Boukoros, and of Drama, Dimitris Kyriazidis.
The mayors of Kileler, Athanasios Nasiakopoulos, Eretria, Nikolaos Gournis, Meteora, Eleftherios Avramopoulos, South Pelion, Michail Mitzikos, and Kato Nevrokopi, Eleftherios Tambouridis, of the sacred city of Messolonghi, Spyridon Diamantopoulos, Doris, Dimitrios Giannopoulos, and Amfilochia, Athanasios Torounidis, participated. Also present was the Secretary General for Environment and Water, Petros Varelidis.
With these new projects, conditions for water supply are improving in the beneficiary municipalities, as a reduction in water leaks is achieved—which in some areas, according to the attending mayors, reaches 60-70%—through the repair and upgrading of outdated networks, the water supply of areas is increased through the construction of new networks, as well as a submarine pipeline, and adequate water supply is ensured in areas facing water scarcity phenomena through the installation of new desalination units, as well as the construction of the relevant supporting works.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, stated: «Last week, within the framework of the action for the provision of drinking water and water management, we included 10 projects for 9 island municipalities amounting to approximately 15 million euros, and today we proceeded with a new inclusion of 9 municipalities from Thessaly, Central Greece and Eastern Macedonia.
These are necessary projects, which concern the replacement or reinforcement of water supply networks, desalination and denitrification projects, and all these are part of an effort for coherent management of the great challenge of water scarcity. Water is a public good of strategic importance. Last week, the National Water Strategy was put out for public consultation.
It is the first time that our country is acquiring a national strategy, in which their strategic importance is also highlighted. One thing is certain: for a solution to be found, local communities, elected MPs, the region and the central administration must cooperate. Water is a public good, which we must ensure for all citizens».