Greece’s Epiphany cross over drought-stricken Lake Marathon draws water fears

Orthodox Christians around the world attended Epiphany ceremonies on Tuesday to commemorate the baptism of Christ, and Greek officials used the occasion to draw attention to worsening water scarcity.

In Marathon, north of Athens, a priest cast a wooden cross into the visibly depleted waters of Lake Marathon, an artificial reservoir that forms part of the supply network for the capital. Water stored at Lake Marathon and in the other three reservoirs supplying Athens has fallen sharply, dropping from more than 1 billion cubic meters in 2022 to about 390 million cubic meters.

The decline has already prompted action from authorities. In November, authorities declared a water emergency in Athens.

George Stergiou, chairman of the greater Athens water utility EYDAP, said the situation reflects more than a one-off dip. “This is the third consecutive year of a significant drop in reservoir levels. This means that the problem is right in front of us,” Stergiou told The Associated Press after attending Tuesday’s ceremony.

Stergiou also warned that prolonged droughts are becoming more frequent, and that they are often followed by intense rainfall that does little to replenish supplies. He pointed to a plan being pursued by the state-run utility aimed at improving water reliability.

EYDAP has announced a 2.5 billion euro ($2.9 billion), decade-long investment program intended to reduce water losses and boost water security. The program includes pipe replacements, smart meters and expanded wastewater reuse.

Stergiou said the effort is designed to shift some demand toward non-potable sources. “What we want to do, as a first step, is replace all those uses that today could be met with non-potable water by recycled water,” he said.

Reservoir manager Sofia Nalpantidou argued that the low level of Lake Marathon should be seen in the context of how the reservoir is operated and connected to the wider system. She said the lake is linked to the broader supply network and is partly managed for seasonal flood control, describing seasonal operations around winter.

“We usually keep it lower in winter because we want to maintain a buffer,” Nalpantidou said.

Some residents who have followed changes in the reservoir and weather patterns said the drought trend has changed local experience. Antonis Stamou, a 78-year-old retiree who attended Tuesday’s service, said: “In the past, it used to rain a lot more, sometimes daily. That doesn’t happen anymore.”