It is recalled that Tinos and Alonissos were declared earlier in emergency status due to the water shortage for three months, by decision of the Minister for Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou, issued with the agreement of the Waste, Energy and Water Regulatory Authority and the Secretary-General of the Aegean and Island Policy. The same decision extended the corresponding scheme to three months. Meganisi of Lefkada.
The mayor of Tinos explains that the decision is not linked to a direct water supply problem of the island, but is a tool useful speeding up procedures and tackling bureaucratic obstacles in order to move forward the necessary interventions to ensure water adequacy in the coming years.
"Not every house outside the settlement can have its own drilling"
‘Not every house built outside the settlement can have its own drilling“, Mr. Kronteras points out, pointing out the need for more rational management of available water resources and an overall change of thinking about water use.
The mayor makes it clear that declaring the island in an emergency does not mean that Tinos is currently facing a water shortage problem.
‘Right now, the island is not thirsty.“ It says features, explaining that this decision will help the municipality overcome bureaucratic problems and move faster in planning and implementing the necessary interventions. As he notes, there is funding of EUR 4 million for deflation, while the municipal authority's goal is to shield the island against the challenges of the coming years.
‘We need to solve the problem before it gets big.“ He stressed that Tinos must prepare itself in time for the consequences of reducing water reserves.
"Rainfalls have dropped dramatically since 2021"
The mayor points out that since 2021 the rainfall in Tinos has declined dramatically, reaching about half compared to previous years. This picture, as it says, makes it necessary to take preventive measures before the problem becomes bigger.
Mr Kronteras stresses that the protection of water resources is not just about Tinos but about the island regions and local communities that are invited to adapt to the new data.
"We want to fortify our island. There must be a experience in the Tinians, but also throughout the world, that water is valuable to all of us," he concludes.
Municipality of Tinos: Emergency is a shield and not a problem
The Municipality of Tinos, in its post, says that the emergency is a shield and not a problem for the island as they unlock funds and new deflations for the island.
See the Municipality's post
They unlock funds and new decompositions for Tinos – Why the "Extreme Need" is a shield and not a problem for the island
In a state of emergency civil protection, Tinos was officially declared after approval of the relevant request made by the Municipality to the competent government bodies, with the aim of addressing the effects of water shortage directly and effectively.
This important decision was taken following the positive recommendation of the Waste, Energy and Water Regulatory Authority (R.A. E.Y.), as well as the decisive contribution and positive contribution of the Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Papastavrou, and the Secretary General of the Aegean and Island Policy, Mr. Manolis Koutoulakis, who responded directly and supported the fair request of our island.
This development is a key tool, as it immediately unlocks major funding from the co-ordinating ministries and allows full bypassing the time-consuming bureaucratic processes. In practice, the declaration in an emergency gives the Municipality the opportunity to proceed with express procedures to rent or purchase new desalination units, as well as the immediate execution of repair and maintenance works of the water network.
It is stressed that this decision acts as a precautionary shield and not as a sign of a problem, ensuring that the everyday life of residents and the service of visitors continue seamlessly. In this way, the procedures for the installation of new desalinations are immediately unlocked, protecting the island not only for the current tourist season, but also creating the foundations for its long-term and permanent shield against the climate crisis.
At the same time, the current situation and the official declaration of the island in an emergency strengthen and fully justify the permanent position of the Municipal Authority on the need for strict restrictive measures. In particular, the Municipality's view on the prohibition of the creation of new butts in private homes is strengthened, as well as on the drastic reduction of drilling, which is not a policy of this municipal authority, as they are burdening the already strained aquifer.
On this development, the Mayor of Tinos made the following statement:
"The declaration of our island in an emergency is not a cause for concern, but an act of responsibility, prevention and claim. It is our shield against bureaucratic clasps, which allows us to bring in new deflations and provide solutions immediately. The issue of water shortage concerns us daily and we have already done a lot, systematically investing in the deflation and shielding of our networks.
With this new financial and administrative flexibility, we protect the everyday life of our fellow citizens, ensure the smooth operation of the island and look forward, shielding Tinos in the long term. At the same time, this decision sends a clear message that unreasonable waste, private pools and uncontrolled interventions in water resources cannot be tolerated. We continue to work intensively, with planning and foresight.".
This result is added to a number of systematic actions already implemented by the municipal authority to address water shortages. To date, the Municipality of Tinos has invested consistently in the area of desalination, proceeding to the full maintenance and upgrading of existing units, optimising distribution networks to reduce losses, as well as targeted interventions to strengthen the island's water potential.
With this new institutional power, the Municipality of Tinos continues to work intensively to address the problem, while calling on permanent residents and visitors to contribute to the joint effort through the rational use of water.