Wasting it is a sin

Many bodies such as Municipalities and Regions often provide guides for saving water for families with obvious blunders and wrong indications. Anything goes in a time of urgent and profound crisis. But it must be remembered that over 70% of the water is used in agriculture, 22% in industry and that 8% remains for domestic consumption.

Furthermore, focus on the relevant aspects of a necessary waste-free culture. For example, water failures in housing, such as leaking faucets, are the main waste. Irrigation of grass in gardens is the second: it would be better to favor drip systems and water in the evening. Then use the technologies widespread in the last 20 years: from jet breakers to taps and showers to differentiated toilet discharge; latest generation washing machines and dishwashers with economic cycle and full load (less water is used than those who wash dishes by hand); prefer the shower to the bath, spending a short time under water.

Obviously the issue of drought and water is much more complex. The long periods of no rain in the autumn of 2021 and in the winter of 2022 caused a great drought in many areas in Italy and in Europe. The absence of rain, the concurrence of higher than average temperatures, the warming of the soil and the sea are the clear signs of climatic changes that influence each other and which lead to consider drought as a chronic and not an occasional crisis. Globally, droughts have affected 1.5 billion people in recent years. It is predicted that in 2030, 47% of the population will live under conditions of water stress.

We have written that over 70% of water use in Italy occurs from agriculture which is also the largest accused of never taking steps to reduce its needs by changing paradigms. An example: the vast majority of irrigation takes place via high-pressure "cannons" that shoot jets of 50/70 meters with high energy consumption. Water often does not enter the soil, but washes away. The most recent techniques suggest alternative strategies: pipes buried 50 cm deep which, drop by drop, at low pressure, supply water directly to the roots of all crops.
In a period like this, the plants, despite the irrigation, go into crisis and, to "defend themselves", reduce production. The heat has also scorched the vegetation before harvest. With the consequence of the increase in prices and the reduction of the placing on the market. Yet Italy is the country in Europe with the greatest amount of rain per year (at least so it appears from the data of the last 50 years); more than Great Britain and France! 302 billion m3 of rain per year.
It also has an enormous resource potential of watercourses (7,594), lakes (324), underground aquifers (over 1,000). Yet today they seem not enough. Currently, the 526 dams collect 11% of rainwater compared to 15% 50 years ago. For the punctual use of rainwater there are no reservoirs in the area. The other major accused is the aqueduct system (too fragmented and without coordination) which has 600,000 km of water network but which loses 42% of drinking water. The European average of losses is 8%.

The European funds of the PNRR represent the investments necessary to organize an effective crisis line. The Minister of Transition has indicated the titles and funds that would be available: for the purification of waste water so that use in industry and agriculture; for digital monitoring operations and repairs on water network leaks; to build new reservoirs and new connection networks between aqueducts; for the modernization and for new techniques for agricultural irrigation. Europe accuses us of having promised to use treated wastewater but not doing so. In summary, these would be the political objectives to be implemented immediately.


Carlo Degiacomi
NP August / September