The growing water imprint of Athens (Greece) throughout history

Latent sprawl, divided Mediterranean landscapes: urban growth, swimming pools, and the socio-spatial structure of Athens, Greece

“…In keeping with the polarized distribution of swimming pools that we have analysed, it has been observed that water consumption in Athens is substantially higher in sprawled peri-urban districts, while remaining rather moderate in the compact and dense urban area (Karavitis, 1998). This tends to confirm the higher (onsite and off-site) environmental impact of discontinuous, low-density urbanization consuming high-quality soils for development and other natural resources, such as drinkable water (e.g., Leto Stergiouli & Hadjibiros, 2012). The rapid growth of peri-urban, dispersed settlements has important implications for the sustainable use of water in a city, such as Athens, with a structural deficit in water provision due to climate aridity (Karavitis, 1998).…”

“…reflecting environmental unsustainability (due to the consumption of freshwater and increased soil sealing) and social polarization (e.g., Domene & Saurí, 2006;Kaika, 2003;Leto Stergiouli & Hadjibiros, 2012). For example, a pervasive argument in the bitter protest against the measures for emergency water transfer to the largest Mediterranean cities such as Barcelona, Athens or, in part, Rome during long periods of drought has been precisely that water would not be used to satisfy the basic needs of "ordinary" people but that it would end up in the swimming pools of the rich (Domene, Saurí, & Parés, 2005;Karavitis, 1998;L.…”

“…This indicator is of particular interest since it highlights the resource consumption that characterizes both wealthy and sprawling neighborhoods in the context of (consolidated) territorial disparity in economically disadvantaged and socially unbalanced Mediterranean urban contexts (Allen, Barlow, Leal, Maloutas, & Padovan, 2004). Pools can be seen as both a traditional element of peri-urban "sprawl" landscapes and the outcome of a more general process of natural resource consumption shaped by social disparities and decreasing in intensity along the urban-rural continuum (Leto Stergiouli & Hadjibiros, 2012).…”

Localising the nitrogen imprint of the Paris food supply: the potential of organic farming and changes in human diet

“…Some large cities, such as New York in the US, made the choice of reserving certain nearby lands for clean drinking water production, excluding agricultural activities (Swaney et al, 2012). Others, such as Athens in Greece (Stergiouli et al, 2012) and Barcelona in Spain (Tello et al, 2011), extend their water supply areas over a very long distance, annexing the water resources of other watersheds. In a few instances, such as in Munich (http://www.partagedeseaux.info/article226.html), a deliberate policy was implemented to reconcile water and food production in the surrounding hinterland, with organic agriculture being promoted through the establishment of a strong public urban market demand.…”

Η Παρουσία Του Νερού Στην Εξέλιξη Της Πόλης Των Αθηνών

“…Από πολύ νωρίς, η λύση στο πρόβλημα της ανεπάρκειας αντιμετωπίστηκε με την εκτροπή του νερού από μακριά (Stergiouli and Hadjibiros 2012). Η κατασκευή των υδραγωγείων εντάσσεται στα πλαίσια μιας πιο οργανωμένης προσπάθειας να αντιμετωπιστούν ήδη από την προϊστορική εποχή οι υδροδοτικές ανάγκες των Αθηναίων.…”