SEWAGE PLANT AT HORA IN ANDROS ISLAND, GREECE Andros does not have a sewage plant and the city’s sewage drain tank is emptied in the sea whenever full. This causes concerns with regard to the purity/cleanness of the sea water in the bay of Hora. In 1994 the municipality obtained permission to build a sewage process plant in the area of Cavo Staras (a peninsula in the south of the island which is not inhabited). This attempt, however, was frustrated by a judgment issued n 1995 by the Supreme Administrative Court on the ground that the area was unsuitable. There followed years of inaction and in 2009 the prefecture of northern Aegean decided to build the plant just above the port of the town of Andros, behind the old electricity factory. It is believed that this is a most unsuitable area for the following reasons 1. According the environmental study the processed material will be emptied in the sea through an underwater pipe of about 500 metres, just between the swimming beaches of Yalia and Piso Yalia and outside the bay of Hora which hosts the Neiborio beach. All these areas and costs which are frequented by tourists, swimmers and locals (with tavernas by the sea etc) may be affected. 2. The chosen area is at the northern side of the town (Hora). This will no doubt bring unpleasant smell to the town due to the well known northern prevailing winds. 3. When the electricity factory ceased operating all hoped that the port will be upgraded to a marina in order to attract yachts, boats etc that will support the touristic activities of the island. Building a sewage plant in that area will ruin this attempt. 4. Very close to the area where the plant will be build is the church of St Spyridon and the tomb and monument of Leonidas Embiricos, a historic figure of Greek Shipping and generally of the island of Andros. It is believed, not without reason, that building a sewage plant next to these monuments is very improper. Further: 1. The environmental study that was issued in 2009 for the project did not examine alternative routes for the piping etc even though it is mentioned in the Provisional Environmental Evaluation of the Prefecture of Cyclades of April 2008 that the construction of the plant will go through “land of high productivity”. 2. According to precedents of the Supreme Administrative Court, a feasibility/environmental study must contain comparative approaches and must explain the reason why a particular solution was chosen. The environmental study of 2009 does not have any such comparative solutions and those which are mentioned are so general and vague that no comparison may be effected. 3. The environmental study is insufficient for the following reasons (amongst others) : a. Whilst the project involves the connection of all residential areas (settlements) of the island with the sewage plant the environmental study is limited only to the connection of Stenies and Apoikia. b. The study does not examine the effects on the flora and fauna of Andros even though the piping will pass very close to a protected area that has been included in the European network NATURA. c. The sea area where the processed sewage will be dropped is very vaguely described (the study refers to “the sea area close to the electricity plant of Andros”) and the study does not examine the effects on the sea environment, notwithstanding the existence of the beaches of Yalia and Nimporio close to the presumed sea area where the underwater piping will be placed. d. The study does not examine at all the possibility of smells/fumes affecting the town of Hora due to the prevailing northern winds