Greek islands in the Aegean Sea have declared drought emergencies to preserve water as climate change makes summers hotter and rainfall more erratic. The butterfly-shaped island of Astypalaia, which relies on bottled water for drinking, lies east of the mainland and did not benefit from rain in northern and western parts of Greece.

Drought Emergencies

Seven Greek islands have declared drought emergencies this year to preserve water. Authorities are wondering if it will rain next year to sustain the thousands of tourists who strain the supply of water just when locals need it most.

The island of Astypalaia did not benefit from rain in northern and western parts of Greece that gave the country its wettest winter since 2022. For Astypalaia, it was the second driest season since 2020, according to data by local authorities, creating dilemmas for officials.

Water Conservation

Authorities cut off farmer Evdokia Palatianou from a man-made lake to save water in April. The vegetables she grows in her orchard withered as she was forced to rely on brackish water pumped from her well. Some hoteliers on Astypalaia have already taken action to save water, offering vouchers to guests who skip the daily cleaning service.

A desalination plant that supplies tap water was unable to cover a population that swells to 7,000 from 1,400 in midsummer, so a second, temporary facility was set up in Chora pending construction of a permanent one planned for the end of the year.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.