How will Naxos deal with the risk of water shortages ahead of the tourist season

Naxos' drinking water reserves are in the "red" ahead of the tourist season, with the risk of water shortages visible for the period when the island's needs traditionally increase due to tourism. Desalination of seawater seems to provide the solution.

The municipality of Naxos has announced a tender in search of a contractor who will undertake the desalination of water so that the island's water supply does not "dry up" given that all other usable sources of fresh water have already been exhausted.

According to the municipal authority, the supply of desalination water is necessary as, with current data, water reserves, both surface and underground, are greatly reduced, the levels in the two reservoirs are at extremely low levels and the island continues to face an immediate risk of water shortage.

It is noted that the water supply of Naxos is mainly served by the island's two reservoirs (Faneromeni Dam and Eggaron Reservoir), where rainfall is the main water resource.

What troubled the local authority, and prompted the decision for the tender, is the fact that rainfall to date has not been sufficient to cover the needs and fill the dams, resulting in them being almost empty. Due to a prolonged drought, the island's drinking water needs were particularly high during the previous tourist season.

Furthermore, the little water available in the dams, due to intense turbidity and not yet achieving the degree of purity and sedimentation of the mud, cannot be pumped and filtered.

What does the tender include

The municipality approved the holding of an open electronic tender for a minimum quantity of water equal to 1600 cubic meters per day and up to 68 cubic meters per hour, with a total budget of 134.97 thousand euros, which will be covered by municipal funds.

The total quantity of supply will be 62,200 cubic meters of drinking water, which will be produced by a seawater desalination plant for a period of 70 days from the signing of the contract. For this reason, the contractor will install a reverse osmosis desalination unit of similar capacity in the space allocated to it (at the Town Hall location, in Naxos Town), which it will operate with its own resources during the contract period.

The tender will be held using the National Electronic Public Procurement System platform and the award criterion will be the most economically advantageous offer based exclusively on price (lowest price).

The project will be based on a relevant study by the Environment Directorate, which includes the technical specifications of the materials being procured.

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