Climate change is intensifying droughts and reducing the reliability of freshwater sources, placing increasing pressure on water systems. Athen’s water supplies are increasingly affected by these issues. Greece is therefore exploring wastewater reuse for activities such as irrigation, industry and data-centre cooling, helping preserve drinking-quality water for human consumption.
This approach also highlights the importance of distinguishing reclaimed water for non-potable applications from drinking water, which must meet specific safety standards. Greece’s Health Ministry reinforces this priority by drawing attention to new European requirements for materials and products used in facilities for the extraction, treatment, storage and distribution of drinking water. These requirements aim to ensure that infrastructure materials do not compromise water quality.
ToDrinQ has developed tools that enhance the monitoring, treatment and decision-support technologies, in order to strengthen drinking-water protection from source to tap. Greece hosts one of the project’s five demonstration sites within Athens’ drinking-water system.
The Athens demo has focused on Lake Yliki and the Polydendri Drinking Water Treatment Plant. Its activities have included:
- Deploying online sensors to strengthen continuous water-quality monitoring.
- Using unmanned surface vehicles equipped with sensors to collect real-time information and water samples.
- Developing data-driven models to predict nutrient loading and microbial contamination.
- Integrating information from different sensors into a common operational picture.
- Examining a compact treatment unit designed to respond to changing raw-water conditions.
Together, these solutions can help water operators detect changes earlier, adapt treatment processes and protect drinking-water quality as environmental conditions evolve.
