Water waste in water networks up to 64 percent

Basilicata holds the record, where the bill is also among the most expensive. Years without maintenance and investment, and leaky pipes.

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waste of public water

We all waste water , a lot of it, and there's certainly no shortage of it in Italy. At the top of the list for waste as a system , and as a paradigm for the functioning of an entire country, is the devastation we inflict on public water . It reaches our homes through leaky networks , where for decades neither maintenance nor investment has been done, only cronyism: thus, approximately half (especially in the South) is lost, leaking out of the pipes and never reaching its destination. The latest Istat report notes that we have reached record losses, led by Basilicata, where 64 percent of the water circulating in the network is wasted. Furthermore, 60 percent of the 452,000 kilometers of pipes were laid over thirty years ago, and 25 percent a full half a century ago.

WATER WASTE IN THE WATER SUPPLY

The problem of waste, which in summer, combined with the climate crisis and drought in some parts of the country, especially in the South, becomes a real tragedy. It's as if we were a nation in the underdeveloped world, as if we didn't have, at least on paper, a normal water network , as if Italy were stuck not in the times of the last century, but in the nineteenth century. And right on cue, this discovery is coupled with the scandal of another national emergency, the unresolved poor land management: the waste of public water, everyone's water. The water we waste in systems that, if we decided to fix them, could become, with the necessary work, sources of investment, economic growth, jobs, well-being. And a better quality of life.

PUBLIC WATER WASTE IN ITALY

We continue to pretend the problem doesn't exist . Then every so often, periodically, someone wakes up and reminds us, in tones reminiscent of Manzoni's screams, of the absurd waste of good, public water consumed every day in Italy. The latest outcry comes from the Energy Authority , which tells us the following data: approximately 25 percent, a quarter, of the Italian water network is more than 50 years old. Half a century. Stuff from another world, another life, another planet.

LEAK-PROOF WATER NETWORK

Overall losses in the Italian water network reach 42 percent (source: ISTAT) of the water introduced into the pipes (in some areas of Southern Italy, as much as 50 percent), resulting in unsustainable water waste (despite those who still preach sustainability). Maintenance —a word that in Italy has disappeared from the vocabulary of public authorities and even from our private lifestyles—and investment are needed. Experts estimate a cost of 80 euros per inhabitant ; now we're at just 49, the lowest figure in Europe and half the EU average. In the hubbub of small Italian-style IRIs, centers of power and waste of public money , water plays a major role. Water is a common good, and anyone who denies it is as stupid as they are ignorant, but that doesn't mean its management and distribution should be locked up in the hands of nearly 2 management companies (1.957 to be precise), ranging from the country's largest municipality to the largest holding company listed on the stock exchange.

HOW IS WATER WASTED?

We need to rationalize, reduce waste and inefficiency, and find a fair and transparent balance between the public sector, which is paramount in protecting citizens' interests, and private individuals who believe—with open wallets, not with the idea of ​​pocketing profits—in the sector's economic potential. And we need to invest, invest, and invest again. Add these three reasons together, and you're back to the starting point of this argument: only the government can implement the necessary actions to turn the page. A great opportunity comes from the PNRR funds, which in part (currently €630 million has been allocated) will be used to repair the Swiss-style water network in Italy, which has been hit by drought and water waste . But much more money will be needed, with investments in modernization and maintenance that will have to continue for years, decades, and from which private individuals will not be able to withdraw. And a consolidation of the sector, with a reduction in the number of companies managing the service, will be inevitable, primarily in the interests of citizens.

WATER WASTE IN AGRICULTURE

The largest share of water consumption is absorbed by industry (22 percent) and agriculture (69 percent) . Irrigation systems should therefore be modernized in the fields to reduce water waste. This should be followed by urban and domestic vegetable gardens. Here, the paradigm is Italy, which, by wasting across the board, fails to look ahead and still uses obsolete irrigation systems, without recovering and reusing water, using methods from the Middle Ages and contemporary waste, which are unsustainable today. Technology has made great strides in reducing water waste in agricultural crops, which also impacts the final price of a product to the consumer. Among these, drip irrigation , for example, is a highly effective technique. We can also use it in our vegetable gardens , on balconies, in the garden, and in potted plants.

READ MORE: To wash or not to wash? A silly question. The important thing is not to waste water at home.

PER CAPITA WATER CONSUMPTION IN ITALY

The figures for water consumption, and therefore waste, don't add up even in the context of domestic consumption. Once again, the numbers speak for themselves. Each Italian consumes , on average, 236 liters of water per day ( Blue Book 2022 data ), double the European average, which records a daily per capita water consumption of 125 liters. Are we cleaner than the French and Germans? It's hard to even imagine. We're probably just more wasteful, and we struggle to grasp the few but essential ways to save and avoid wasting the water we then pay for in our bills.

WATER FOODPRINT

To reduce water waste, even through some lifestyle changes , we need to be more aware of our water foodprint , the water footprint that tells us how much water is consumed to produce a good or service. For example, food or an item of clothing. According to data from the Utilitatis Foundation, the water footprint of one kilogram of pasta is 1.710 liters of water; that of one kilogram of chicken meat is as high as 4,300 liters. And a simple T-shirt requires 2,700 liters of water. Producing an egg requires 135 liters of water, while a slice of bread requires just 40 liters. Meat production absorbs a significant portion of the water intended for agriculture: it is estimated that approximately one-third of the water consumed by all the Earth's inhabitants is used for the meat industry . In general, meat, eggs, and dairy products require much more water than vegetables and legumes. This doesn't mean we have to eliminate meat, including white meat like chicken , or eggs from our diet, but at least we have an awareness of how much water was needed to produce what we eat.

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