The Athens water resource system: A modern management perspective

Due to the dry climate of the surrounding region, Athens has suffered from frequent water shortages during its long history but now has acquired a reliable system for water supply. This extensive and complex water resource system extends over an area of around 4000 km2 and includes surface water and groundwater resources. It incorporates four reservoirs (one of which is a natural lake in a karstic area; losses can be half the inflows), 350 km of main aqueducts, 15 pumping stations and more than 100 boreholes . The water resource system also supplies secondary uses such as irrigation and water supply of nearby towns. The system is run by the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company (EYDAP). Recently, EYDAP has commissioned a study of the Modernisation of the supervision and management of the water resource system of Athens at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA) This project comprises: (a) development of a Geographical Information System for the visualisation and supervision of the water resource system; (b) development of the water resources telemetric measurement system; (c) development of a computational system for the appraisal and prediction of water resources utilising stochastic and deterministic models; (d) development of a decision support system for the integrated management of the water resource system using simulation-optimisation methodologies; and (e) cooperation and transfer of knowledge between NTUA and EYDAP. The lecture briefly reviews the water resource system and its historical evolution and focuses on the ongoing project and especially the questions that must be answered and the methodologies that will be developed and used.