Def, the Italian water network needs investments of 13 billion euros – Corriere.it

13 billion euros are needed to align Italian water infrastructures (reservoirs and aqueducts) with international standards. Of this figure, 5 billion have already been allocated or programmed for interventions. The other 8 will be scheduled within this year in the new National Water Plan. what can be read in the Annex to the Def Strategies for infrastructures, mobility and logistics, drawn up by the Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport. The annex reviews all the works necessary for Italy’s water security, the funds allocated with various financial instruments and the projects planned and launched.

Investments

The Italian water sector is characterized by a huge investment requirement – reads the document -, necessary to bring the state of the infrastructure into line with the best international standards. In particular, it is necessary to adapt reservoirs and aqueducts to climate change, improve collection capacity and reduce losses, complete unfinished infrastructure, especially in the South. The first national plan for infrastructural and safety interventions in the water sector was launched in 2018 and reformed in 2021. The Plan currently has a budget of 2.917 billion euros: 2 billion from national resources and 0.9 from the Pnrr. So far it has financed works for 2.2 billion, from 2018 to 2033. The Pnrr also allocates huge sums for the water network: 4.38 billion for sustainable management, 2 billion for security of supply, 0.9 billion for reduction of losses, 0.88 billion for the irrigation system and 0.6 billion for sewage and purification. The 900 million for the reduction of losses were assigned in March 2022 to 33 interventions.

Reduce losses

It is expected to equip 45,500 km of aqueducts with innovative systems for locating and reducing leaks by 2024 and to reach 72,000 km in 2026. To eliminate leaks from the network in the South, there are also 482 billion of European funds from the Green Deal . The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MIT) has currently financed 17 interventions, for a total of 476 million In December 2021, the MIT with a decree identified 124 interventions to be implemented with 74 different implementing bodies, allocating resources for 2 billion euros ( 1.1 from national funds and 0.9 from the Pnrr). 40% of these investments go to the South.

Components

Among the financed or co-financed works, the main ones are the derivation works of the Campolattaro dam in Campania, four interventions for the Peschiera aqueduct in Rome, a new drinking aqueduct in Piedmont (Valle dell’Orco), the completion of the Pietrarossa dam in Sicily, the upgrading of important drinking water schemes in Sicily (Montescuro) and Sardinia (Coghinas) and irrigation schemes in Emilia-Romagna (Bonifica Burana and Bonifica Renana). Last year, MIT assigned 18.8 million euros to the 7 Basin Authorities (Eastern Alps, Po Valley, Northern Apennines, Central Apennines, Southern Apennines, Sardinia and Sicily) for feasibility projects for particularly important works. Then there are the 556.5 million from the 2014-2020 Development and Cohesion Plan, with which 128 interventions were financed, and 275 million from the 2021-2027 Development and Cohesion Plan, for water infrastructure especially in Campania and Sicily. Finally, there are the 12 infrastructure projects for which commissioners have been appointed, with Dpcm in 2021 and 2022. These are works for a total value of 3.5 billion euros: in Sicily and Sardinia, on the Peschiera aqueduct which serves Rome and on the Campolattaro dam. The goal is to increase available water by nearly 700 million cubic meters. The 700 million for Peschiera were covered in the 2023 budget law.