"Unanimously critical judgment by the Regions on the bills currently under examination by the Chamber”. The Representatives of the Regions do not like it the idea of the M5S on public water. The 20 billion of cost of the operation resulting from the approval of the reform by the Hon. Dagas also frighten local administrators. After the outcry of the companies, the new stop came in the last hearing in the Chamber. Yesterday the Minister of the Environment Costa reiterated that water must be public and that his ministry must have management responsibility. But the other front is consolidating and it is not known how it will end. Maybe like the Tap or other initiatives on which the government has had to change course.
The integrated water service is a delicate matter and a strategic vision is needed, because it invests the competences of various institutional levels and clearly involves the Regions. This is the summary of the position brought to Parliament. It is about the quintessential public service on which the Regions have administrative and regulatory competence. For rates which remunerate the capital invested and the quality of the service, there are also the competencies of the Regulatory Authority, Arera. The Cinquestelle bill would greatly limit these powers.
Basically, the principles of solidarity, water saving objectives, priority of use for food supply and mutual aid between river basins are already in the legislation in force. Why put your hand to a tidying up that in the end you want exclude the companies that have made investments and managed the pipelines from water management? The theme has been dear to the Five Stars since the 2011 referendum and the meetups. The estimated cost of 20 billion is what companies – when they have to hand over management – would ask for relief. Was there a serious confrontation before leaving, did you say during the hearing in the Chamber? No.
The Regions recall that the management of public services of local interest is their exclusive competence. Rather, let's start and make reforms that oblige the various institutional levels to manage the service well, fight waste, raise the level of quality, spread a new social responsibility. Companies and local authorities are in it. Strategic, non-punitive concertation would also do justice to many inefficiencies and water leaks in the pipes.
The current state of management does not escape the Area. In his six-monthly observatory he notes that there are managers who operate without a legal title that complies with the standards. In practice they continue without time limits, where competition and competition were to arise. The 62 optimal areas have been defined, but be careful, time runs out and within three years 15 managements in the North-West, 4 in the North-East and 3 in the South, involving 8 million inhabitants, will expire.
