The water crisis advances, the sources are dry and the Campania Region launch the emergency call. An invitation to “activate awareness-raising actions to optimize the water resources currently available”. From De Gasperi Street a message also arrives that leaves little room for interpretation: in the case of “further and sudden” decreases in available water, a “emergency plan».
It is written in black and white inside the document that the General Directorate for “Integrated water cycle” from the Region sent to the president and general director of the Campania Water Authority, to the district basin authority of the Southern Apennines, to the Civil protectionat prefectures of Naples, Caserta, BeneventoSalerno and Avellino and to the managers of the water service.
THE SITUATION
In Sannio the situation is worrying. Just think that for weeks citizens have been struggling daily with the stop-and-go of their home taps. In recent days the Gesesa president Domenico Russo underlined: «We believe that it is necessary dialogue with citizens and explain the situations. What we are facing is a new event compared to past summers, the emergency is not limited to our area but is generalized”.
Which certainly does not reassure the citizens of Benevento and surroundings. The data held by Region Maretto, Torano and Biferno speak clearly about the flow of the springs: in 2017the year in which the water emergency was declared, in May the flow rate of the sources was equal to 4,156 liters per second. From June 1st to 19th it was 4,077 liters per second. Furthermore, comparing the data for 2023 with those of this year, a decrease of 1,024 liters per second can be seen and, if the numbers relating to the period are taken into account June 1-19, 2024the decrease increases by another 384 litres.
The organization also highlights the reasons that led to the current one emergency: «The low rainfall and snow last autumn” led to a “significant reduction in water resources”. In recent weeks all the regional sources that feed the Campano Torano-Biferno Aqueduct (sources of the Maretto, Torano and Biferno, via the Molisano Aqueduct) are recording a «sreal and persistent decrease in feeding capacity».
To address the water shortage, the Campania Region is already using additional resources from well fields of Ponte Tavano and Cancello and part of those coming from the Western Campania Aqueduct in concession to Acqua Campania Spa. To aggravate the critical issues, the water dispersions of the municipal water networks, with losses that they range on average from 30% to 60%.
ACTIONS
The structure, which is «constantly monitoring supply capacity of regional water sources”, informs, therefore, that in the case of further and sudden decreases in the resource, “timely communication to all the subjects in the address and an emergency plan will be implemented which includes the supply to the various users of the quantities as foreseen in the master plan, with a possible water rationing».
One point also concerns the implementation of the plan night water rationing, a measure that has already been adopted in some Campanian municipalities this month of June, such as Benevento. According to the Region it would represent “a last resort to be adopted exclusively in the event that the continuous decrease in water resources makes it necessary to adopt an extraordinary measure to protect the water supply of all citizens”.
IN THE CAPITAL
And Gesesa they explained that “in the immediate aftermath, an attempt was made to address the situation with the night closures limiting them to the time slot from midnight to 5.30 in the morning». And that it was decided to introduce a sort of rotation between the various areas involved to avoid always burdening the same neighborhood. The latest communication from the company in chronological order, just yesterday morning, warns that «in addition to the closures already communicated, due to a significant drop in the supply of deep springs and even more so in the superficial ones as well as the excessive water absorption in distribution given the high temperatures, further planned closures in other areas of the city are absolutely essential.
So in the district Ponticelli water stop from midnight to 5.30 in the morning, for the next three days. The places affected by the closure are: Capodimonte Iacp area and entire neighborhood (via dei Dauni, via Nicola Ciletti, via Liborio Pizzella, via Filippo Palizzi, via Nicola Boraglia, via Antonio Navarra, via Carlo Labruzzi, via Cesare Beccaria, via Raffele Viviani , via Croce Rossa, via Cupa del Gesù, part of via Città Spettacolo, via San Giuseppe Moscati). Contrade Coluonni, Fontana Margiacca and Saglieta.
The document issued by the regional offices concludes by representing a «absolute and immediate necessity by all the subjects involved to adopt the necessary measures within their competence” with the aim of raising awareness among local authorities “for the optimization of the water resource currently available».
