Aegina water pipeline not sabotaged, mayor says
Aegina’s water pipeline was not sabotaged, as previously believed, but rather burst due to technical faults, the island’s mayor Giannis Zorbas said during municipal council meeting on Wednesday.
Zorbas said that coast guard divers were sent to inspect the damage and reported that they did not find any sign of sabotage. Instead they reported that the reasons behind the pipeline’s destruction were either faulty material or misplaced installation.
With the pipeline rendered non-operational, Aegina once again needs to be supplied by water tankers. While ground wells are used for livestock and watering, their water is nevertheless not fit for human consumption.
Earlier this month, Attica Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias had stated that this instance of damage to the pipeline was a result of sabotage, and that he would file a complaint with the prosecutor over the incident.
The Aegina water pipeline bursting on January 24 marked the fourth time on the island’s history, with the previous three incidents being deemed intentional sabotage by authorities, without any suspects being identified yet.
Aegina, located just 56km south of Athens in the Saronic Gulf, has a year-round population of 12,911 (2021) and has historically been a popular holiday destination for Athenians.
