Wastewater Treatment Projects Slated for Greek Islands and Small Communities

Greek Environment Minister Kostas Skrekas announced this week that a total of 408,499,600.33 euros would be going into projects for the collection and treatment of urban waste water particularly in smaller settlements and on the islands.

More specifically, Skrekas said 51 projects will be funded through the country’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” as part of the “Treatment and Cleaning of Urban Wastewater, Environmentally Sensitive Settlements” program.

The program applies to 53 settlements with under 2,000 residents and includes the creation of modern urban wastewater management infrastructure either through new networks to be connected with existing wastewater treatment facilities or with new facilitates.

The 51 projects come after approved funding for 34 similar works bringing the total urban wastewater treatment projects to 85. Tenders should be finalized within the year and the projects completed by 2023, the ministry said.

Islands or settlements approved for new wastewater treatment facilities include Thira (Santorini), Nafplio, Chania (Crete), Kythira, Corfu, Amfikleia – Elateia, Komotini, Nestos, Istiaia Edipsos (Evia), Veria, Tanagra, Kalamata, Delphi, Livadia, Alonissos, Corinth, Kamena Vourla, Xylokastro – Eurostini, Kymi – Aliveri (Evia), Lamia, Zagori, Volos, Amorgos, Pella, Lefkada, Lesvos, Milos, Naoussa, Zagora, and Mount Athos.

Environment Minister Kostas Skrekas. Photo source: @KostasSkrekas.

Skrekas said it was a government priority to ensure infrastructure for the management of municipal wastewater was in place across Greece, and added that the extension of this policy to settlements with less than 2,000 inhabitants demonstrates efforts to ensure the balanced distribution of infrastructure to areas that were “once neglected”.

Environment Ministry Secretary General of Waste Management Coordination Manolis Grafakos underlined the importance of modern wastewater treatment infrastructure, which he said contributes to the improvement of the quality of life of citizens and is a prerequisite for the protection of the environment.

“Past practices for the management of municipal wastewater are gradually giving way to a modern management methods, compatible with the [EU] Community directives,” he said, adding that more than 120 projects for settlements of more than 2,000 inhabitants were currently being implemented in Greece, 31 were in the tender process, and 29 projects are scheduled to be auctioned in the next four months.

Grafakos went on to note that a total of 265 projects once completed will significantly increase the level of environmental protection in Greece, and create facilities with reduced energy requirements and open the possibility of using the treated water for irrigation needs.