Greece is confronting a growing strain on its water network as several parts of the country now operate under formal emergency status. Authorities have already issued declarations for Attica, Leros, and Patmos, and officials say Meganisi in Lefkada is likely to be added shortly.

The expanding list reflects concerns about declining reserves and increasingly erratic weather patterns affecting regional supply.

The request for emergency measures began with EYDAP, the national water utility, which submitted a formal alert after reviewing new data from its monitoring system. The National Technical University of Athens supported the move with its own assessment, warning that existing infrastructure may not be sufficient to handle projected demand and environmental stress.

Their findings prompted the government to authorize fast-track procedures and begin preparatory steps tied to long-term upgrades.

One immediate result of the emergency framework is the activation of several short-term interventions. Water officials are preparing additional wells that could contribute roughly forty-five million cubic meters of groundwater to the national grid annually.

This photograph shows the remnants of the houses that reappeared when the level of the Mornos artificial lake dropped following a drought, at the village of Kallio, about 240 km northwest of Athens, on November 3, 2025. (credit: ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images)
This photograph shows the remnants of the houses that reappeared when the level of the Mornos artificial lake dropped following a drought, at the village of Kallio, about 240 km northwest of Athens, on November 3, 2025. (credit: ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP via Getty Images)

At the same time, ministries have been instructed to speed up technical reviews for desalination facilities, a key priority for the islands, where shortages typically appear earlier and more acutely.

Plans also call for improvements along the Thiva canal, a section of the External Water Supply System that loses significant volumes through inefficiencies.

A wider technical review is underway as well. The national regulator commissioned a country-level assessment of water reserves, assigning the project to the Water Resources Laboratory of the National Technical University of Athens with legal oversight provided by an Athens-based advisory group.

The final document is still pending, but officials say it will shape future decisions once the government sets new policy targets.

Investment package designed to reinforce the reservoirs 

The broader strategy centers on the Eurytus project, a €500 million investment package designed to reinforce the reservoirs that serve the greater Athens region. The plan includes redirecting parts of the Karpenisiotis and Krikeliotis rivers, modernizing supply lines, and adding desalination capacity.

Two large transfer tunnels—one about 14 kilometers long and the other approximately 6 kilometers—are expected to handle up to 200 million cubic meters of water a year. Tendering for the project is scheduled for summer 2026.