Waiting for funds and visit from Athens water company team
CORFU. We are about 60 days away from the first tourist flight arrivals, and nothing significant has been done about the water shortage, apart from some planned drillings, which thankfully provided some water.
"Even if you’re a priest, you’ll have to wait your turn." This phrase is attributed to Kolokotronis and signifies a behaviour of fairness and equal treatment. In our case, "waiting your turn" refers to the Greek reality, which remains resistant to any form of urgency. Thus, a month has passed since it was announced that EYDAP (Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company) specialists would come to assist us. They were to arrive, assess the needs of Corfu—both technical and administrative—so that state funding could be secured to address these needs.
But did they come? Of course not. Neither they nor the initial funds of approximately €2 million have arrived. Time keeps passing, and we are already 60 days away from the tourist flight season, yet nothing significant has been done to address the water shortage. The only exception has been some planned drillings, which, thankfully, have yielded some water.
However, despite the rainfall, geologists working with DEYAK (Corfu Water and Sewerage Company) remain concerned about the state of the aquifer’s reserves. Meanwhile, the troubles of the dilapidated water network persist. Even if you manage to find water to distribute, the likelihood is that it will be lost along the way. As experts admit, even if the €2 million project to address the worst sections of the network were to proceed, it would hardly reduce losses from the current... 20%. (Note: This percentage shouldn't be taken as definitive; it is likely much higher—substantially so!)
Nonetheless, the company’s technical department is preparing to immediately absorb any funds that may be allocated. Additionally, the EYDAP team, if all goes well, is expected to visit the island next week.
Optimism, however, is in short supply. The issues are numerous throughout the country, and the government’s funding priorities seem directed more towards the timely repayment of loans—reportedly even ahead of schedule—in an effort to swiftly upgrade the country’s credit rating rather than investing in infrastructure. Under these circumstances, promises of funds are rare, and their actual disbursement even rarer. As for the Recovery and Resilience Fund? It finances mature projects with set deadlines, expiring at the end of the year we’ve just entered.
And regarding the dam projects? How are you doing? The kids? Everything else okay?
GIORGOS KATSAITIS
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