Today (24 June 2026), Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastaurou signed a decision at a special ceremony at the Ministry of Environment and Energy, formally enrolling nine island municipalities into the national programme “Interventions for Drinking Water Supply and Water Management”. The initiative falls under the “Drinking Water Supply and Water Management” axis of the Ministry’s Sectoral Development Programme.
The programme will fund 10 infrastructure projects across nine islands — from the Cyclades and Dodecanese to the Sporades, Ionian Islands, and Crete — with a total budget exceeding €15 million.
According to Minister Papastaurou, these interventions deliver immediate, tangible benefits. They aim to strengthen water security by reducing leaks through the rehabilitation and modernisation of aging distribution networks; expanding coverage via new pipeline installations; and ensuring reliable supply in drought-prone areas through new desalination units and associated supporting infrastructure.
Regional Breakdown of Projects
Cyclades: Upgrades to existing water networks on Naxos and construction of a new water reservoir on Amorgos.
Dodecanese: Installation of desalination units on Astypalaia and Leros — including all necessary ancillary works — alongside network repairs and extensions on Rhodes.
Sporades: Network upgrades on Skopelos and supporting infrastructure for desalination on Alonissos.
Ionian Islands: A new drinking water treatment plant on Zakynthos.
Crete: Modernisation of water infrastructure in Viannos.
Attendees
The event was attended by Maritime Affairs and Island Policy Minister Vasilis Kikilias; Southern Aegean Regional Governor Giorgos Chatzimarkos; MPs from New Democracy representing the Dodecanese (Giannis Pappas, Manolis Konssolas), Magnesia (Christos Triantopoulos, Christos Boukouros), Zakynthos (Dionysis Aktypis), and Heraklion (Leuteris Avgentakis); as well as mayors from Naxos and Lesser Cyclades (Dimitris Lianos), Amorgos (Leuteris Karaiskos), Skopelos (Stamatis Perissis), Alonissos (Panagiotis Anagnostou), Zakynthos (Giorgos Stasinopoulos), Viannos (Pavlos Baritakis), and Leros (Timothy Kottakis). Mayors of Rhodes (Alexandros Kolliadis) and Astypalaia (Nikos Komineas) joined remotely. Also present was Petros Varelidis, General Secretary for Natural Environment and Water at the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
In his remarks following the signing, Minister Papastaurou stressed that today’s decision is not an isolated measure, but part of a broader, coordinated national strategy for responsible water resource management — one grounded in planning, inter-institutional cooperation, and targeted support for regions facing the greatest hydrological pressures.