We are threatened by the water shortage
This summer is expected to be difficult for the farmers of the Thessalian plain. According to the prefecture of Larissa, the total rainfall from September 2007 until January 2008 was decreased to 33%. Also transport of water from the lake Plastira –the main resource of irrigation and water supply for the Thessalian Plain-cannot be conducted because its reserves have been decreased to 30 million cubic metres, compared to the previous year.
“We enter a season when the importance of water will be still more important and critical”, the lecturer in the department of exploitation of natural resources of Agronomic University C. Karavitis declared on Greek TV. “In the agriculture”, as he said, “is spent the 85% of water that we consume globally annually and the rest 12% only goes to the urban centres and only 3% in the industry. The municipalities of the Thessalian plain can use this summer only the water that is stored in the barrages, according to a research of SKAI TV(a greek channel), as part of a campaign for the saving of water.
The General Secretariat of Region proposed a plan for the confrontation of water shortage, according to which, in the first phase, all the illegal dams along the river Peneus will be destroyed. "The farmers of the Thessalian plain use more underground water for the irrigation, and as a result it has eliminated", G. Migiros the professor in the Agriculture university of Athens, declared on TV. He pointed out at the same time, that the State has not done the required works for the right management of surface waters.
Meanwhile, in a meeting that took place, there was intense disagreement between the authorities of Larissa and Karditsa about water of Plastira lake. Lake Plastira has been a source of controversy as the farmers of Karditsa and Larissa both claim the water resources.
It is reminded that according to studies, the water deficit of that lake amounts to 60 mill. cubic metres and the scarce-few reserves do not appear to suffice for the water supply and irrigation of the plain. As a result, both the farmers of Larissa and those of Karditsa, claim the remaining of very few .
In Karditsa the authorities are concerned with the water supply of 100.000 residents of the prefecture, as they express fears that the overpumping will affect the quality of water.
Speaking on the television, the prefector of Larissa , pointed out that among the measures that the prefecture takes is to prompt the farmers to turn to less hydric plants cultivation.
A committee for the management of water , the constitution of which has been announced by the general secretariat of the Region of Thessaly, will have the responsibility of the continuous measurement of water which used for irrigation from lake Plastira, but also from the Peneus river.
Moreover, shortly a big campaign in the Region of Thessaly will begin so that all illegal dams that exist along the Peneus river banks will be destroyed because they are to blame for a big water waste.
Finally, it was decided that the municipalities of Thessaly that have barrages, should make use of only stored water .
Rainfall decreases
Rainfall will decrease in Greece by 20 to 30% in the following years. However the cases of strong storms will increase. That’s what scientists that participated in the meeting on the subject "Water in the period of Climatic Change" that organised the network Mediterranean SOS and the Metsovio Polytechnic School of Greece. During the meeting it was pointed out that at least the 60% of wetlands in the Mediterranean have been lost and serious problems of sufficiency of water up to the year 2025 are expected to exist. “The crisis from the insufficiency of water will change the way that we live”, scientists reported. “We program the manufacture of many small irrigatory works so that the water will not pour into the sea”, declared the minister of Rural Development Alexandros Kontos. He pointed out at the same time that it is essential that we make citizens aware of a reasonable use of water. "Water is commodity and we should use with wisdom in order to have it; the water shortage is related to our behaviour. Speaking on TV the chairman of network Mediterranean SOS, Nikos Hrysogelos claimed that the citizens are supposed to change habits. He added that efforts are needed in order to save water. This effort begins from the use that the households do, mentioning that there are exist possibilities of recycling water in the household , using it in a lot of activities.
