Greece is moving to make recycled water a key pillar of its defences against drought, launching a major study for the upgrade of Athens’ main wastewater plant that could eventually supply irrigation, industry and cooling for data centres.
The European Environment Agency estimates that, if technical and funding hurdles are overcome, reclaimed water from treated urban wastewater could theoretically replace about 10% of current freshwater withdrawals for agriculture in Greece.
Reuse cannot solve the water crisis alone, but it can reduce demand for drinking‑quality water in activities that do not require it, easing pressure on reservoirs and aquifers.
Water stress is not unique to Greece.
Around 30% of Europeans and 20% of the EU’s land area face water scarcity each year, rising to 70% of the population in southern Europe during summer.
Yet only about 2.4% of treated wastewater is reused, even as networks lose roughly 23.5% of already‑treated water before it reaches consumers.
In response, Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP) has tendered a study for “Psytaleia 3.0,” the next phase of the Psytaleia Wastewater Treatment Centre, one of the largest such facilities in Europe.
The contract, worth an estimated 9.3 million euros before tax, will run for 35 months and produce a roadmap for technologies, works and investments over coming decades.
A final investment programme could approach 500 million euros, depending on the options chosen.
The study will unfold in four phases: mapping the plant’s current state; preparing a feasibility study with short‑, medium‑ and long‑term options; producing supporting topographical, geotechnical and environmental studies; and assisting EYDAP in tendering the construction works.
The upgraded facility is designed not just as a bigger treatment plant but as a hub for producing reclaimed water, energy and other usable products.
Tertiary and quaternary treatment would raise effluent quality so water can be reused for irrigation, industrial processes, cooling and green‑space maintenance, and potentially to recharge Attica’s depleted aquifers.
Three pillars underpin the plan: net‑zero energy through biogas, biomethane and solar; net‑zero CO₂ via carbon capture and management; and large‑scale production of reclaimed water linked to wider reuse master plans across Attica.
The initiative comes as new data centres in eastern Attica seek stable, non‑potable water for cooling, turning water security into an issue of energy and economic resilience.