“In Italy the average investment in the network was significantly lower than the European average. This leads us to have a country with an average national loss of around 42%. It means that half of the water that is intercepted does not reach its destination. And this is unacceptable today, especially because this situation, apart from some areas where investments are being made, tends to get worse instead of improving.” This is the photograph, anything but reassuring, taken by the CEO of Acea, Fabrizio Palermo, on Friday in Bologna during the Anci meeting.
“Water infrastructure – he said – has always been the Cinderella of infrastructure for years. And today we are starting to pay the bill. The reality is that we are witnessing a very significant problem, not only in Italy but also in other countries: water means development, safety and health and this risks being severely compromised because there has been structural underinvestment”. Palermo then pointed out another critical issue: “There is a crucial issue: water is a good that none of us pays for today. In the sense that what we pay for is the industrial service, the infrastructure that we pay for even at very low prices. In perspective it is important that it is also clear to the citizen that what he pays for is also the fact of being able to take a bath in a clean sea comes from the fact that he pays the water bill. In my opinion, this is not evident to many. Making it clear is our responsibility, of everyone.” But the CEO of Acea also explains that “On this there is the possibility in the future, in my opinion, of strong investments which can also be a driving force for the development of the country”.
Water is, in fact, a fundamental aspect for Italy and for the whole world: it is the foundation of life and the engine of the economy: too often taken for granted, it is a strategic resource for economic growth, safety and public health. It is equivalent to 60% of the world GDP, 70% of the European one, 20% of the Italian one. The water service requires investments for transport, purification and purification. Acea, thanks to virtuous management and over 2 billion euros in investments, has reduced water losses in Rome from 42% in 2017 to 27%, marking an unprecedented result for the city.
For too long, tariffs have not reflected the real needs to support the investments required to improve the efficiency of water networks, generating a significant infrastructure gap.
The Pnrr represented an extraordinary lever for accelerating investments and innovation. Over 5.3 billion euros have been allocated for the water sector but much more is needed to adapt the infrastructure. Acea is the first water operator in Italy and second in Europe, serving more than 11 million inhabitants in approximately 700 municipalities in Italy and more than 10 million in Latin America. The Group is engaged in a strategic investment plan at a national level: thanks to the resources of the Pnrr (around 0.7 billion), many interventions have been carried out in the territories. Management fragmentation hinders efficiency and continuity of the service (around 2,400 managers).
And Palermo concluded: “Today we are active, in all the territories where we operate, with important investments.
We have been one of the largest players in water investments in the Pnrr and today we are launching the largest European water project, the new Peschiera Conduct, which will be the largest water-related work in Europe, a new generation project conceived with the support of cutting-edge technologies”.