A central authority to oversee the use of Greece’s increasingly scant water resources was one of the measures proposed by the government yesterday as it attempts to regulate the way water is used by farmers, businesses and individuals.

The Public Works Ministry is seeking to create a Central Water Service (CWS) — the first of its type in Greece — and a water directorate in each of the country’s 13 regions which will supervise the way water, including that found in underground wells, is used to make sure it is not wasted.

The bodies will be responsible for issuing licenses for anyone looking to use or transport water — from farmers wanting to irrigate their crops to factories pumping it through their production lines, as well as those involved in conservation projects.

The CWS will also be responsible for checking the quality and quantity of Greece’s water resources and drawing up a list of areas which will then be designated as protected.