High concentrations of nitrates taint much of our groundwater
1. Pollution. «It’s lucky we don’t have industry» is the phrase that is often heard when referring to the state of the country’s water resources. In fact, even without heavy industry, Greeks have managed to pollute both the country’s surface and groundwater. This has been confirmed by a study conducted by the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) in cooperation with the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME) and the Center for Planning and Economic Research (KEPE). According to the study, the quality of Attica’s groundwater resources has deteriorated dramatically. High concentrations of nitrates have been recorded in Ilioupolis, Terpsithea, Aghia Paraskevi, Holargos, Korydallos, Kato Kifissia and the areas of Koropi, Paeania, Markopoulo, Spata, Megara and Marathon, due to intensive cultivation in the latter. The groundwater of the Ilissos and Kifissos river areas is of poor standard. The Thriasio Plain has also been polluted from urban waste, farming activities and the Ano Liosia landfill. Severe pollution of groundwater in the eastern Peloponnese has been caused by farming activities and there are high concentrations of nitrates near Argos, Nafplion, Tripolis, Astros, Leonidio, Sparta and Gytheion. In the eastern mainland, nitrate concentrations are very high in the groundwater of Kopaida, the area of Anthili and in the silt of Sperchios. In the Thessaly region, high nitrate concentrations have been found in the areas of Argyropouleio, Achilleio, Ayia and Platykambos of the Larissa Prefecture and in Mataranga in the Karditsa Prefecture. No data has been produced for the quality of the groundwater on the islands. As regards surface water, the situation is «overall satisfactory.» However there is a problem of pollution in the Soulios, Pamisos, Alfeios and Pinios (in the Prefecture of Ilia) rivers. The quality of the water in the Pineios River of Thessaly is also problematic, as is the case with the Strymonas and Evros rivers. Most of the lakes (70 percent) suffer from eutrophication. 2. Wasteful farming. Urban water consumption, with all the waste included, absorbs only 11 percent of available water resources and industry, 3 percent. The sector that literally gobbles up water is farming, using 86 percent of available resources in Greece – the corresponding figure worldwide is 70 percent. It makes sense therefore to make changes to farming. Images of water evaporating as it is channeled along canals at midday are not a thing of the past. New European Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) directives insist on the correct use of water resources before the beneficiary can claim subsidies. However, funding is required to make the necessary irrigation networks and time for the farmers to realize that water wastage has an adverse effect on the environment and on their pocket as a result. 3. Sinking water table. Due to poor management and uncontrolled use of groundwater, the level of aquifers in many parts of the country has sunk, drawing sea water into the aquifer which causes brackishness. Brackish water is useless and destroys the soils in the area. In Attica, the problem of brackish water has occurred along the Sounion coast in the areas of Faliron, Kallithea, Piraeus, Drapetsona and Keratsini. It has also occurred in Vouliagmeni, Vari and Koropi. According to Spyros Papagrigoriou, a civil engineer specializing in water management issues, there is an acute problem of brackishness in Thessaly, in particular in the area of Magnesia near Almiro and in the Nestos Delta. The problem has also arisen along the northern coast of Corinth and Crete, in particular eastern Crete and in the Iraklion area. The problem, in fact, is apparent to a lesser or greater extent in all the coastal plains of Greece where farming has exhausted groundwater resources. The aquifers on the islands of Rhodes, Kos, Paros, Chios, Samos and Lesvos have also suffered due to the penetration of sea water. 4. No public works. Very few works to utilize the country’s water resources are conducted in Greece. As was highlighted by Dimitris Koutsoyiannis, a NTUA assistant professor of the water resources faculty, «although there is an unequal distribution of water in the country, Greece does have enough water. However, the surface water, which exceeds the volume of ground water, is not utilized. The reason for this is that it is much easier to use groundwater. Anyone can legally or illegally drill a well to pump water. Large-scale infrastructure works are required though to utilize the surface water and agreement must be reached on the type of works to be conducted and the location.» But it is difficult even to conduct small-scale works that would prevent the water from flowing out to the sea.
