Am I required to connect to the sewer?
Conditional: where a public network operates, connection is mandatory. Owners of properties abutting a functioning public sewer must connect (EYDAP in Attica, Law 1068/1980; local DEYA elsewhere, Law 1069/1980). After connecting, old cesspits are decommissioned at the owner's cost. The absorptive cesspit is effectively banned; where there's no network, only a sealed cesspit, tanker-emptied, is allowed. Discharge to the ground/streams/rainwater drains is illegal (Health Regulation E1b/221/1965). Connection deadline: usually 3 months (EYDAP) to 6 months (DEYA). In short: yes, connection where there's a network; a sealed cesspit only where there isn't.
📋 The rules
- Where a network exists: mandatory connection
- After connecting: the old cesspit is decommissioned
- Absorptive cesspit: effectively banned
- No network: only a sealed cesspit (tanker-emptied)
- Connection deadline: 3 months (EYDAP) – 6 months (DEYA)
🔓 Exceptions
- No sewer on the street: a sealed cesspit interim
- Sewer-use fees without connection/network: ruled improper
- Connection subsidies exist (~€1,100)
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Failing to connect where a network exists is penalised: at EYDAP the fine for not applying reaches 5–10× the largest two-year bill, with a minimum of €100/year; at DEYA there's a ~6-month grace, then an administrative fine and a possible water cut-off. Illegal discharge of wastewater to the ground/streams is penalised separately (health/environmental). Beware myths: "an absorptive cesspit is OK forever" — wrong; "EYDAP can charge sewer fees without connection/network" — partly a myth (the Consumer Ombudsman ruled it improper). To stay compliant: apply to connect within the deadline, decommission the cesspit, and where there's no network use a sealed cesspit with regular emptying.
📎 Official sources
- EYDAP — Sewerage Network Regulation (Law 1068/1980) →
- Health Regulation E1b/221/1965 →
- Consumer Ombudsman →
❓ Frequently asked
Am I required to connect to the sewer network?
Yes, when a functioning public sewer exists on your street. Owners of abutting properties must connect, via EYDAP in Attica or the local DEYA elsewhere. After connecting, the old cesspit must be decommissioned at the owner's cost.
Is an absorptive cesspit allowed?
No, it's effectively banned. Where there's no network, only a sealed cesspit, emptied by tanker, is allowed. Discharging wastewater to the ground, streams or the rainwater network is illegal and penalised, for health and environmental reasons.
How long do I have to connect?
The connection deadline, once the network becomes available, is usually about 3 months for EYDAP and up to 6 months for DEYA. After it lapses, fines are imposed and, in some cases, the water supply may be cut off.
How much is the fine for not connecting?
At EYDAP, the fine for not applying to connect while a network exists reaches 5 to 10 times the largest two-year bill, with a minimum of €100 a year. At DEYA there's an administrative fine and a possible water cut-off after the deadline.
Can they charge me for sewerage without a connection?
Not arbitrarily. The Consumer Ombudsman ruled it improper to charge sewer-use fees where there's no connection or network. The obligation to connect and the related fees presuppose a functioning network the property can actually connect to.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “mandatory sewer connection”
- “cesspit decommission law”
- “absorptive cesspit banned”
- “eydap fine non-connection”
- “sealed cesspit tanker”
- “sewer fees without connection”