Greece’s Ministry of Environment and Energy (YPEM) has released a draft bill for public consultation—launched on Friday, 10 July 2026—as part of the country’s national water management strategy. The legislation proposes significant changes to how certain charges are calculated for property owners, particularly those related to wastewater infrastructure and network connections. At its core, the reform aims to create a more resilient and equitable system that improves service delivery while ensuring financially accessible water for all citizens. It represents the largest restructuring in recent years of Greece’s water services—including drinking water supply, wastewater collection, and irrigation—now consolidated under two state-owned utilities: EYDAP (Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company) and EYATH (Thessaloniki Water Supply and Sewerage Company).
Expanded Geographic Responsibilities
Under the proposal, EYDAP’s operational scope expands across the entire Attica region—including the islands of Aegina and Agistri—but excludes the municipalities of Kythira and Antikythira, Poros, Spetses, Troizina, and Hydra. Its responsibilities also extend to Boeotia, Phocis, and Evia—excluding the municipality of Skyros.
EYATH’s mandate similarly broadens to cover all regional units of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki.
Consolidation of Service Providers
In practice, EYDAP will absorb 26 municipal water and sewer departments, seven Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Companies (DEYA), eight Local Water Boards (TOEB), and the irrigation authority previously managed by the Region of Central Greece (formerly the Kopais Organization). In total, 43 service providers will be integrated into EYDAP.
EYATH will integrate five municipal departments, eight DEYAs, 11 TOEBs, and one Regional Water Board (GOEB), bringing the total number of consolidated providers to 25.
Debt Transfer and State Support
The consolidation includes the transfer of outstanding debts held by the absorbed entities to EYDAP and EYATH. The Greek state will cover at least 75% of DEYA debts owed to electricity suppliers. This translates to at least €34.59 million of the total €40.7 million in liabilities across Boeotia, Phocis, Evia, and parts of Attica—and at least €20.1 million of the €23.7 million owed in the Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki regions. To finance this, YPEM has allocated €200 million in total.
Tariff Policy and Infrastructure Cost Sharing
The draft law—open for public consultation until 20 July—stipulates that irrigation water prices will remain unchanged for at least three years. It also confirms that overall water pricing for both EYDAP and EYATH will continue to be regulated by the Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water (RAAEY), guided by cost-recovery principles.
A key change involves how property owners contribute to infrastructure construction costs. Specifically, the cost of building wastewater pipelines will be shared among owners based on the frontage length of their property along the pipeline. For calculation purposes, a standard three-storey building is used as the reference model—regardless of whether the property is already built or still undeveloped. External branch connections to the main sewer line and manholes will also be subject to revised cost-sharing rules, though details on those specific mechanisms were not fully specified in the source text.