Wastewater Management: From Ancient Greece to Modern Times and Future

Current wastewater management paradigms favor centralized solutions, as taught in traditional engineering schools, which imply high capital costs, long-range water transfer, long and disruptive construction and highly trained operators. On the other hand, small decentralized systems are seldom considered even though they require lower capital costs, less disruptive infrastructure construction and allow for the maintenance of a closer, more sustainable water cycle. This manuscript starts with an extensive review of the long history of wastewater systems, from the Greek antiquity to the modern era. The use of natural and physical systems in history and their evolution into modern technology is also analyzed. Finally, future trends are considered with emphasis on technological adaptation and sustainability of decentralized systems, with a view that lessons that can be learned from history and past practices. The manuscript aims to provide a critical overview of water and wastewater management in view of the oncoming challenges of this sector

Desalination Technologies: Hellenic Experience

Beyond doubt, desalination is growing rapidly worldwide. However, there are still obstacles to its wider implementation and acceptance such as: (a) high costs and energy use for fresh water production; (b) environmental impacts from concentrate disposal; (c) a complex, convoluted and time-consuming project permitting process; and (d) limited public understanding of the role, importance, benefits and environmental challenges of desalination. In this paper, a short review of desalination in Greece is being made. Data on the cost of desalination shows a decrease in the future and the potential of water desalination in Greece. The paper summarizes the current status in southeastern Greece (e.g., Aegean islands and Crete), and investigates the possibility of production of desalinated water from brackish water