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annual rainfall of 334 mm. Consequently, there is low crop productivity. |
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A total area of 3740 ha is cultivated, of which only 6 per cent is irrigated. The groundwater is of low quality, mainly because uncontrolled and illegal drilling is widespread, resulting in severe salination problems. Little water can be collected from the existing aquifer. Therefore, overall there is a shortage of fresh water. The island's soil is sandy with materials of volcanic origin (ash, etc.) and a very low clay content. |
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6.2
Current Sewarage Provision |
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The intense development of Thira over the past 30 years in response to increasing tourist activity has resulted in serious environmental problems, including: |
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direct discharge of untreated wastewater from communities and hotels into the sea; |
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uncontrolled landfills, where solid wastes are burned; and |
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salination of the existing aquifers. |
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Oia is in the north of the island and is classified by the Ministry of Tourism and Civilization as a 'traditional' community because of its unique location and architecture. Finikia is a settlement of the Oia Community where the majority of the permanent population of Oia (590 people) lives. The problems of the settlement can be summarized as follows: |
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1. High population density. The majority of the permanent population lives in an area of about 2.4 ha. Because the terrain slopes steeply, there are few areas suitable for building and therefore houses are crammed together very tightly, with no room for individual on-site sanitation. In some areas, stone retaining walls called 'yposkafa' have been used to create level building plots. The density of housing is comparable with that in other parts of the world where shallow sewer systems have been constructed. |
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2. Ground stability. The existence of yposkafa, the volcanic origin of the soil and the narrow pathways combine to cause |
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