Drastic water shortages in the Cyclades
Serious drought will threaten the islands of the Cyclades this summer due to record-low rainfall levels this winter. Islands that at the best of times suffer from water shortages, such as Milos, Syros, Tinos, Ios and Santorini, will have to ship in even larger quantities of water in the summer when demand rises dramatically. For the first time, it appears that Sifnos will also need water supplies from Attica. The Cyclades Prefectural Council recently held a lengthy meeting to decide on how to deal with the «unprecedented and continuing drought.» «Water sources on most of the islands have almost dried up,» said Cyclades Prefect Dimitris Bailas. At the meeting, representatives of all the islands explained that the heavy rains of previous years had masked the problem, meaning that nothing was done and the problem was forgotten about until now. According to the representatives of islands that welcome large numbers of summer tourists, the problem this year will be especially serious. The Cyclades have the lowest average rainfall of all prefectures and their resources of underground water that supply wells are negligible. They say water will have to be shipped in even to islands that until now were relatively self-sufficient. The only island that appears to have remained untouched by the drought is Andros. Sikinos, Anafi, Therasia, Schinoussa, Irakleia, Amorgos, Koufonisia and Donousa are smaller islands that have always depended on water from the mainland. This year the larger islands will also be shipping in water regularly. Milos, which has seen an increase in tourism in recent years and has been shipping in water for the past six, is expected to be particularly affected. Most homes on the island have their own rainwater collection tanks, but these are of no use without rain. «Milos needs about 1,200 cubic meters of water three times a week in winter and 2,000 cubic meters every other day in summer. Now Sifnos is joining the water transport program. In this sub-prefecture, only Serifos has its own water supply from springs,» said the Milos area’s sub-prefect, Panayiota Kalogeraki. The sub-prefecture of Thera, which includes Santorini, Therasia, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros and Anafi, has asked for more funding to transport water by ship. Even Kea, which has a number of springs, has been affected by the lack of rain and over-drilling for wells. According to Sub-Prefect Stefanos Lepouras, Kea’s residents are drawing water from both public and private wells. The island’s construction boom has also resulted in illegal drilling. «The new holiday homes have swimming pools, creating a major problem. But when it rains heavily, more damage is done. We need to build dams on the island’s two or three water courses,» he said. To satisfy demand for water on the island, the Prefectural Council is calling for more funds. In an announcement two weeks ago, it observed that funds for transporting water should be doubled from last year. It also calls for top priority to be given to the construction of water storage tanks and a transport network, including the cost of purchasing water transport trucks. It referred to a similar problem that occurred in 2001-2002, when a state of emergency had been declared. Most local government organizations had then brought in water from Attica but had done nothing about creating new infrastructure. After floods in 2003, nothing more was done, as wells and reservoirs were filled to their maximum. «The funds required to transport water for two years were enough to have set up desalination plants on each of the islands,» said the prefect. For immediate needs, the council has decided, with the cooperation of local government organizations, to educate the public about ways to save water. Local government agencies will take steps to reduce consumption. A committee has been set up to look into the problem and will put forward a specific proposal for a long-term solution to the Cyclades’ water shortage.
