The Hadrian Aqueduct, a 2,000-year-old project that transported water to Athens from the springs of Parnitha, is being revived by EYDAP due to the water shortage in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Attica Region.

As the president of EYDAP Giorgos Stergiou says in an interview with APE-MBE, the re-utilization of the Hadrian Aqueduct is an initiative with unique characteristics because it is a priceless cultural treasure.

Mr. Stergiou clarifies that the water that will be transported from the Hadrian Aqueduct to the foot of Mount Parnitha, in Varybompi, will not be used for drinking but for watering the trees. For this reason, a completely new network is being built.

The following is the full text of the interview of the president of EYDAP George Stergiou at APE-MBE and George Psyllia

Q: Mr. President, many people do not know the Hadrian Aqueduct. Where is it, when was it built and where does it end up?

The reuse of the Hadrian Aqueduct is an initiative with unique characteristics. It is a priceless cultural treasure that emphatically highlights the ability of the human mind to create time-resistant infrastructures. Because it does not concern some remains that remind us of it but an underground aqueduct operational since the 2nd century AD. until today, which starts from the outskirts of Parnitha, runs through a large part of Attica and ends at Dexameni in the center of Athens. So one aspect of its revival is purely cultural and it is planned in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Attica to make it accessible to Greek citizens and visitors to our country.

Q: Is it true that you are activating the Hadrian Aqueduct due to the reduction of water reserves in the EYDAP reservoirs? What amounts of water can this activation yield? Is this water drinkable?

The other aspect of this effort is through the European Cultural Hidrant program to be built by EYDAP the first non-potable water network in Greece that will cover a significant part of the needs for irrigation within the boundaries of the Municipality of Chalandrio. It concerns a pilot action since the water collected in the Hadrian Aqueduct can also be used by the other Municipalities through whose borders it passes.

Obviously, it is not a solution for the water shortage. However, it marks the beginning of a completely new era where drinking water will not be used for uses such as irrigation, industrial etc. In the long run, the savings that will be achieved for the precious resource for human life will be significant. A nearly 2000-year-old project becomes the catalyst for the paradigm shift demanded by today’s climate crisis.

Q: Is it connected to the rest of the EYDAP network?

A completely new network is being built that will not connect to the existing one. It could not be otherwise since it concerns non-potable water.

Q: Have the recent rains strengthened the company’s reservoirs in Morno, Evinos and Ylikis at all? After all, does the risk of water shortage remain in the basin?

We won a few days in the battle we are fighting against time, so that the projects launched for Attica can be implemented on time. The weather conditions in the next period will determine the window of time we will have at our disposal. I am optimistic that we can respond even if the weather is not our ally. The biggest enemy is complacency.