On the occasion of the passing of Law n. 5037/2023 concerning the creation of a “Regulatory Authority for Waste, Energy and Water”, as well as the drainage projects implemented in the southern part of Syros, the candidate Mayor, Haris Vekris and the members of the team ” SYRA, YOUR TURN” Grigoris Miskedakis, Iraklis Kailas and Iordanis Papadopoulos met with the President, Andreas Gialoglou and the Director of DEYAS, George Vakondios.
Regarding the new law, the Administration of DEWAS appeared reassuring, relying on article 3 of the law, which ensures the public nature of water providers, and consequently, there is no reason to worry about a change of ownership in municipal water supply and sewage companies of the country. In addition, the view of the DEWAS Administration is that the monitoring of water suppliers by the new regulatory authority to ensure low prices can only work positively for islands such as Syros, which already pay quite dearly for water that comes mainly from desalination.
With regard to the planning and implementation of projects, the Administration of the municipal enterprise informed the team about the progress of the A’ phase of the Vari Sewerage project, but also about the maturity stages of the B’ phase of the project, the study for the areas Vissas, Poseidonia, Finikas, Galissas, the study of a new desalination plant, but also the program to replace water meters with modern telemetered ones (a project worth 3 million euros), with which a significant reduction in water losses is expected.
The most important problems in the operation of DEVAS were identified, on the one hand, the energy cost, which after the implementation of the adjustment clause has shot up the company’s debts to PPC to 3,300,000 euros, and on the other hand, the lack of specialized personnel, such as mechanical engineers and IT graduates, for the handling modern means of water and waste management.
The “SYRA, YOUR TURN” group, clearly distinguishing in the new law similarities with the practices followed in the field of energy, considers that this move is the first step for the entry of private individuals into the field of water and waste, although in this phase the law “guarantees” the opposite. The tactics of oligopolies are always well methodized and based on long-term planning, which develops when there is suitable ground and weak reactions. “SYRA, YOUR TURN” agrees with both KEDE and EDEA, which expressed serious reservations about the time when this bill came up for voting, at a time when other more serious problems of DEYA have not been solved, such as understaffing in scientific and technical staff, but also energy costs.
Furthermore, citizen protection is a parameter that the recent history of power and transport privatizations has shown is not a given. Water, especially in the Cyclades, is expensive and therefore we must ensure that it does not become a product. The aridity of our islands combined with their ever-increasing tourist occupancy should not turn water into yet another object of exploitation.
Regarding the operation and project planning of DEYAS, “SYRA, YOUR TURN”:
- Is in favor of the immediate recruitment of specialized executives who will help in the transition of the municipal enterprise to the new technological era.
- Calls for the acceleration of the implementation of the drainage projects of southern Syrum, better supervision of the contract, for the fastest possible restoration of the road surface which poses serious risks and affects the business activities of the area. At some point there will have to be an end to sloppy work and patches, but also to pay due attention to the grooves created by cutting the central roots of trees (see Chroussa, Episkopeio), which has serious consequences for the survival of trees and can lead to causing accidents from their fall.
- Is in favor of planning the drainage projects for Pagos and Chroussa.
- Asks that due care be taken so that the phenomenon of long-hour interruptions in the water supply in the summer season does not repeat – for another year.
https://hellas.postsen.com/local/291849/Syra-Your-Series-in-DEVAS.html