The decision of the Municipality of Kythera to cut off the water supply to the sports centre «Pan. Magiros» in Livadi, due to debts related to water use. According to the Parish of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary «Konteletous», which manages the sports center, on October 16, 2024 an employee of the Municipality, on the order of the Mayor, sealed the water meter due to debt, accompanied by a warning that in case of violation, the police will be called immediately.
In the letter of protest sent by the Parish to the Mayor and the City Council, it is stated that in August they were informed of a debt of 6,164.34 euros, while shortly afterwards they received a bill with a current debt of 1,681.28 euros and a total charge of 7,903.74 euros, including surcharges. The parish claims that they had received assurances from the municipal authority that the sports centre would not pay for water as it serves the children and youth of the island, and that the previous bills had been ignored as they were considered formal.
The sports center «Pan. Magiros» was constructed with the assistance of the benefactor Panagiotis Magiros and other donors and has been operating since 2012. At the same time, the water of the stadium comes from a local well, while only the toilets and taps are served by the community network, which raises questions about the amount of consumption.
The Parish denounces the threats of police intervention as offensive and calls on the Municipality to find a solution through discussion, for the sake of the children and young people of the island. At the same time, it is stressed that the Local Church has always been supportive of the Municipality's efforts and expressed its willingness to cooperate in finding a solution.
