Apokoronas secures €588,000 for water tanks, rural roads, street lighting and schools

Summary

The Municipality of Apokoronas has been awarded four grants totalling €588,000 through programmes run by the Region of Crete. The funding will cover rainwater harvesting tanks to help farmers cope with water shortages, upgrades to rural roads, expansion of street lighting, and improvements to school buildings. Residents do not need to take any action — the municipality will manage all projects directly.

What is being funded and who benefits?

Rainwater harvesting tanks – €200,000

The largest single grant — €200,000 — will fund the procurement of rainwater collection tanks under the regional programme "Irrigation Works for Municipalities of Crete". The tanks will collect and store rainwater for use in irrigating fields and orchards, a particularly timely measure given the persistent water shortages that affect the area each summer. Farmers and smallholders across Apokoronas stand to gain greater independence from an often-strained water supply.

Rural road improvements – €100,000

Drawing from the Regional Programme of Crete 2026–2030, €100,000 has been allocated for the improvement and upgrading of agricultural roads across the municipality. For anyone who regularly travels unpaved tracks by tractor or van to reach fields and groves, the difference will be tangible: smoother surfaces, safer journeys and better connections between villages and farmland.

Street lighting upgrade – €114,000

Also from the Regional Programme 2026–2030, €114,000 will go towards expanding and modernising the municipal street lighting network. Dark village entrances, unlit junctions and poorly lit footpaths at night are all set to become less of a problem. The project is expected to improve road safety and enhance the feel of the area's villages after dark.

School buildings and education infrastructure – €174,000

The largest grant within the Regional Programme 2026–2030, at €174,000, is earmarked for works on school buildings and facilities across Apokoronas under the action "Strengthening and Upgrading Education". The investment is intended to deliver better learning environments for children and improved working conditions for teaching staff.

Background

The municipality highlighted that these approvals are the result of careful preparation, complete project studies and consistent grant applications. The municipality expressed its thanks to the President of the Region of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, for his long-standing support and for the productive ongoing collaboration between the regional authority and Apokoronas.

PRESS RELEASE

New significant funding approvals for the Municipality of Apokoronas with a total budget of 588,000.00 euros – Substantive works with the support of the Region of Crete

The Municipality of Apokoronas continues, consistently, with planning and documented preparation, to make use of every available financing tool, securing significant resources that are converted into substantive works for the area and its people. The new funding approvals granted through the programmes of the Region of Crete represent yet another practical recognition of the serious and systematic work being carried out by the municipal services and the Municipal Authority. They prove that when there is vision, proper planning, mature studies and continuous pursuit, the Municipality can exploit every available opportunity for the benefit of the local community. Within this framework, the following significant funding approvals were granted:

Funding of 200,000 euros was approved for the implementation of the project "Procurement of Rainwater Tanks", within the framework of the call "Irrigation Works for Municipalities of Crete". This is a particularly important intervention that strengthens the rational management of water resources, contributes to addressing the consequences of water scarcity and practically supports the primary sector and the people of production in Apokoronas.
Funding of 100,000 euros was approved from the Regional Programme (ΠΠΑ) of the Region of Crete 2026–2030 for improvement and upgrading works on the agricultural road network. These interventions will improve accessibility, facilitate the daily lives of producers and enhance safety of movement in rural areas.
Funding of 114,000 euros was approved from the Regional Programme (ΠΠΑ) of the Region of Crete 2026–2030 for the extension and upgrading of municipal lighting networks. A project that upgrades the image of the settlements, strengthens road safety and substantially improves the everyday life of citizens.
Funding of 174,000 euros was approved from the Regional Programme (ΠΠΑ) of the Region of Crete 2026–2030, within the framework of the action "Strengthening and Upgrading of Education", for works concerning the school infrastructure of the Municipality of Apokoronas. This investment constitutes a substantive legacy for our children, the teachers and the new generation of our area.

The above approvals, totalling 588,000.00 euros, strengthen critical sectors such as the primary sector, agricultural road infrastructure, municipal lighting and school infrastructure, confirming the stable strategy of the Municipality of Apokoronas to pursue and utilise every available financing tool for the benefit of the local community. We express our warm thanks to the Regional Governor of Crete, Mr Stavros Arnaoutakis, for his longstanding and substantive support, as well as for the excellent cooperation with the Municipality of Apokoronas, which consistently yields measurable results.

Published: July 30, 2026, 07:28 AM

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