Italian families are those who consume the most water in Europe. Leaks, dispersions, very old systems, high bills, are topics that periodically fill the pages of newspapers and enliven political discussions. Then everything goes to the archive and see you next time. Friday March 22nd is one of those. It is World Water Day declared by the United Nations as “Water for Peace”. Water for peace, thinking first of all of the thousands of people in war zones who need water to survive. In Western countries, water is an industrial business managed according to national and extra-national rules, for some cases. A decisive piece also of the ecological transition.
Studies in progress
Every Italian consumes on average between 150 and 240 liters of water per day. In 2023, however, families spent on average 478 euros per year: 4% more than in 2022. It is Arera that establishes the tariffs based on tariff methods that are updated. Climate change also leaves its mark on a network that requires billions of dollars in investments that cannot be made. Even the Cinquestelle and the movements close to them have made a political profit on public water, confusing the citizens. They haven't moved anything and "sometimes they come back". However, today on the occasion of World Day, initiatives and debates are reported everywhere.
Water, Berardi speaks
Donato Berardi he is the director of the Public Services Laboratory of the REF Research Centre. With colleague Michele Tettamanzi he oversaw a study on the state of water services for lavoce.info.
Dr. Berardi the situation is getting worse every year, what can we expect for the future?
“Greater citizen involvement. It's paradoxical, but that's how it is. The technical skills and political will translated into regulatory indications to protect water, the environment and the health of citizens are there. However, there is a lack of clear perception of the seriousness of the issues. Participation in water management issues is still too low."
But Italians are distressed by bills and not always efficient service.
“We know it but the tariffs serve to improve the service”.
One theme is the uniform distribution of water for both civil and agricultural uses. How to separate the two purposes has been discussed for some time. There are agreements, strategies, bombastic conferences without results. Without surprising us too much, can polluted water also reach our homes?
"Certain. Do you want an example? The civil protection of Veneto has made 80 million euros available to protect citizens from the presence of Pfas, perfluorokyl compounds in drinking water. They serve to stop the emergency. We all need to worry more about the quality of the water that is distributed."
There are important companies managing the water service not only in Italy. Berardi, what strength can citizens have?
“Public participation is a useful tool to bring citizens closer to the fragility of water and actions to preserve it. The institutions must listen to their requests, also to give meaning to the decisions they make. An experiment of this type was recently done in France, in the Paris area."
I confirm from direct experience on site.
“So you know that the citizens had to express their opinion on the improvement of water purification and everything went well. We also published a studio specific".
Who knows if and when someone will consult Italians on improvement actions, rather than just informing them of service interruptions, rationing and pipeline disasters. Sieve nets are a good ally of climate change. Dr. Berardi what happens in the territories?
“The 2022 drought in Emilia Romagna forced more than 1.300 municipalities to ration water and there was damage to agriculture amounting to 6 billion euros. With the floods in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany in 2023 they were spent 440 million euro only for extremely urgent interventions. Evaluate her."
Water, national plans to restore networks
National plans to restore networks have been discussed for 30 years. The State produced a disarticulation of public spending, until the Pnrr arrived with a budget of 4,38 billion euros. Politics marches on us. As in the game of bingo, now the projects to be carried out are drawn, while the citizens of Basilicata see 62% of their drinking water leaking from the pipes - and therefore getting lost. What can I say, even in the seventh largest economy in the world today we celebrate "Water for Peace" but against an enemy called bad politics.
