The Municipal Water and Sewerage Company of Agios Nikolaos (DEYAN) in response to a request regarding the water supply needs of a new hotel unit made a dramatic observation: due to the intense tourism activity in the Plaka area and the sharp increase in water demand during summer months, it cannot guarantee sufficient water supply for large hotel units.
Specifically, the Municipal Water and Sewerage Company of Agios Nikolaos was recently asked to respond to a request from the company Rethymnian Brickworks S.A., which is implementing a large hotel investment in the settlement of Plaka.
In detail, the company requested a certificate confirming the ability of the Municipal Company to cover the required water needs of its 5-star hotel unit in the areas of Ariganies or Katselios in Plaka, which are estimated at 236.26 m³/day at peak, taking into account that the unit will operate seasonally from April to October. In case of inability to cover the total needs, the company asked to be informed of the daily quantity that the company could provide.
Additionally, it requested a certificate regarding the possibility of connecting the hotel unit to the sewer network, providing a set of data concerning the amount of urban wastewater that will be produced and discharged into the network.
Subsequently, the hotel company requested that, in case connection to the municipal sewer network is not possible, a certificate be provided confirming that there will be the possibility to receive the sludge produced by the hotels wastewater treatment plant. The estimated quantity of sludge is 3.5 m³/day at maximum, based on the maximum expected wastewater flow for the entire operational period of the hotel; under actual conditions, this is expected to be significantly lower.
At the same time, in the case of inability to connect to the municipal sewer network, the company requested a certificate confirming that there will be the possibility to receive untreated wastewater from the hotels treatment plant in the event of temporary malfunction, or treated wastewater if underground disposal is not feasible.
These certificates were requested within the framework of the hotels Environmental Impact Study, which has been submitted to the competent authority (Directorate of PEHO Ap.D. Crete) and is currently under consultation, for the issuance of an environmental terms approval decision.
The Municipal Water and Sewerage Company of Agios Nikolaos (DEYAN) responded to the hotel companys request as follows:
Due to the intense tourism activity in the Plaka area and the dramatic increase in water demand during summer months, DEYAN cannot guarantee sufficient water supply for large hotel units; therefore, there is no possibility to supply water to a hotel unit of the capacity described in the request.
Once the water transfer works from the Aposelemi dam are completed and the desalination unit in Plaka is operational, the possibility of supplying water to large hotel units can be reconsidered.
Since the capacity of the Elounda Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) has been exceeded, making the acceptance and safe treatment of additional wastewater impossible, connecting the planned hotel unit to the Plaka sewer network is not feasible. For these reasons, the upgrade and expansion of the Elounda WWTP is being planned.
In any case, the management of urban wastewater from new hotel units should be carried out through their own wastewater treatment facilities, which should also provide for the treatment of the generated sludge using a local dewatering system. Additionally, they must have an adequate system for collecting fats (grease traps), and the fats must be disposed of to appropriate recipients.
According to a decision of the Board of Directors of DEYAN regarding the acceptance of sludge from hotel units for further processing at the Agios Nikolaos WWTP, DEYAN will no longer accept sludge from hotel wastewater treatment plants to ensure the safety of the facility and the operation of the Agios Nikolaos WWTP.
The sludge produced by a hotels wastewater treatment may be accepted for further processing only if it is dewatered (with 1520% dry solids) at the DEYAN Sludge Treatment Facility, under a special agreement and fee. This possibility will be examined in the coming years when the DEYAN Sludge Treatment Facility is fully operational, as it is currently in trial operation.
In case of failure of the hotel units WWTP for a period not exceeding 5 days, and in quantities not exceeding the maximum hydraulic load of the hotel unit (185 m³/day according to the request), wastewater may be transported to the Agios Nikolaos WWTP using tank trucks with the relevant collection/transport permit.
Since the Agios Nikolaos WWTP only accepts urban wastewater, in the case of transport via tank trucks, the wastewater quality must be guaranteed by the hotels responsible operator. The disposal of swimming pool cleaning water or desalination by-products is strictly prohibited. Wastewater quality will be monitored by DEYAN, which reserves the right to immediately stop acceptance in case of violation of the Agios Nikolaos WWTP Waste Acceptance Regulations.
Finally, in case underground disposal of the hotels treated wastewater is not possible, for periods not exceeding 5 days and quantities not exceeding the maximum hydraulic load of 185 m³/day, treated wastewater may be transported to the Agios Nikolaos WWTP using tank trucks with the relevant collection/transport permit. In this case as well, wastewater quality must be guaranteed by the hotel operator. Disposal of swimming pool cleaning water or desalination by-products is strictly prohibited. DEYAN reserves the right to immediately stop acceptance if the Agios Nikolaos WWTP Waste Acceptance Regulations are violated.
