2018

Greece has 96.5% of its generated load compliant to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC).

In 2018, Greece counted 464 agglomerations generating ≥2,000 p.e. each, of which:

• 435 agglomerations, generating 11,452,376 p.e. of waste water, complied with the requirements of the Directive; and
• 29 agglomerations, generating 417,801 p.e. of waste water, did not comply with the requirements of the Directive.

The waste water load generated in Greece in 2018 was reported to be 11,870,177 p.e.

In 2018, Greece had not yet reached the target for treating waste water to fully comply with the Directive.

• All the waste water load is connected to collecting system or to Individual and Appropriate Systems; and
• 3.8% of the collected waste water load must still undergo secondary treatment in line with the requirements of the Directive (approximately 397,600 p.e.),
• 0.5% of the collected waste water load from agglomerations generating >10,000 p.e. and discharging into sensitive areas must still undergo more stringent treatment in line with the requirements of the Directive (approximately 35,600 p.e.).

9.2% of waste water load is addressed by means of individual or other appropriate systems (IAS) i.e. non-centralised sanitation systems (approximately 1,092,600 p.e.).

For the 464 agglomerations, there are 236 urban waste water treatment plants, with a total design capacity of 13,982,000 p.e., of which:

• There is no plant active but not connected to collecting system,
• 8 plants equipped with technology only for primary and secondary treatment,
• 228 plants equipped with technology for more stringent treatment than secondary.

Based on the 2018 data, it seems that the load generated is lower than the design capacity.

Compliance rate by Article

Notice : This table contains only agglomerations with expired deadlines.

*The total [No of agglomerations] includes only those agglomerations that must provide secondary treatment / or more stringent treatment than secondary before discharging waste water from their treatment plants.

**The total [p.e. waste water load] is the sum of the load of all of the agglomerations that must provide secondary treatment or more stringent treatment than secondary before discharging waste water from their treatment plants.

Data source for table: Register, summary of MS data

247 agglomerations were not taken into account in calculations of the compliance rate for Article 4 because the agglomerations use IAS for more than 98% of the collected load.

446 agglomerations were not taken into account in the calculation of the compliance rate for Article 5 because these agglomerations generate ≤10,000 p.e. each.

Distance to target

*The target [p.e.] for secondary treatment represents the waste water load (collected and not collected) from all agglomerations that must be subject to secondary treatment, regardless of whether or not the agglomeration complies with Article 3.

** The target for more stringent treatment represents the waste water load (collected and not collected) from all agglomerations generating >10,000 p.e. and discharging into sensitive areas (regardless of whether or not the agglomeration complies with Article 3).

Data source for table: Register, summary of MS data

The expected annual investment costs per capita for installing and renewing waste water collecting systems and treatment plants is inf EUR/inhabitant/year.

The investment needs for ensuring adequate urban waste water collection and treatment, i.e. compliance with the Directive, as estimated by the national authorities and included in their national plan, are at the level of EUR 1989.21 million for the period 2020-2027. This covers works on treatment plants, with the forecasted investment cost of EUR 678.19 million (2020-2027) , and works on collecting systems and/or IAS, with a forecasted investment cost of EUR 1311.02 million (2020-2027).However, as indicated in a recent OECD study, Greece would need to increase their investments further to reach and maintain compliance. The OECD projected that the financing needs by 2030 (total cumulative additional expenditures for sanitation) is EUR 0 billion.

For the reference year 2018, Greece reported the production of 103,281 tonnes of sludge. The sludge is mainly disposed for incineration (37 %), landfill (36 %) and others (18 %) or re-used for soil and agriculture (10 %).As regards landfill disposal, it takes place only after previous appropriate treatment of sludge and not as raw organic matter. Treated sludge is usually used as a landfill coating layer, combined with other materials, according to the relevant environme

At 23 discharge points, treated waste water is reused for irrigation or infiltration.In 2018 2 % of treated waste water was reported to be reused (For wastewater reuse refer to general comments. ground water recharge and reuse for the needs of the wastewater treatment plant)

No information was reported on storm water overflows by Greece.