Greek islands declare drought emergency as tourist season strains water supplies

Seven Aegean islands, including Astypalaia, Karpathos, Leros, Patmos, Symi, Tinos and Alonnisos, have declared drought emergencies as hotter summers and erratic rainfall strain water resources. Astypalaia, the butterfly‑shaped island, relies on bottled water and a single artificial lake built in the mid‑1990s. The lake now holds about 150,000 m³ – roughly one‑sixth of its capacity – while summer demand reaches around 900 m³ per day, enough for only five and a half months.

Mayor Nikos Komineas warned, “If we collected all the water dropped throughout the year in a bucket or in a washbowl, it would be 2.5 centimetres deep.” To preserve the reserve, authorities cut off irrigation in April, forcing farmer Evdokia Palatianou to rely on brackish well water; she said, “Unless it rains, I won’t plant anything.”

A temporary desalination plant producing 600 m³ per day was fast‑tracked for the main town of Chora, with a permanent unit planned for later in the year. The government has earmarked €15 million for desalination, grid upgrades and water tanks on nine islands, including €1.5 million for Astypalaia. Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou called water security a national‑security issue.

Tourism operators are also cutting use: hotel owner Maria Alkalai offers a €5 voucher to guests who skip daily cleaning, and plans a future hotel with rain‑water cisterns instead of a pool. Scientists from the Demokritos research centre warn that drought conditions could worsen by 2049 as temperatures rise.