Between 2020 and 2025 in Piedmont they will be invested beyond 88 million Euro to improve the quality of drinking water, contrast the real network dispersions by replacing the damaged features, reduce the presence of nitrogen and phosphorus, make the system more efficient by reducing management costs. In addition, several sewer sections will be modernized.
The planned interventions are 60 and fall into a program agreement signed by the Ministry of the Environment, Region and by the six government bodies of the optimal territorial area in which Piedmont is divided. They will be financed with 33,540,000 euros of the 2014-2020 development and cohesion fund (Environment Operational Plan, Sub-Piano “Interventions for the protection of the territory and waters”) and with 54,730,000 euros from the managers drawing from the proceeds of the integrated water service rate. The municipalities concerned are 105with a population of about 450,000 people.
“This is the more important public support support intervention on maintenance on aqueducts and purification plants of the last five years – said the regional councilor for the environment, Matteo Marnatiduring the presentation held on January 2 in the Palazzo della Region – Italy is the second country in the world after China, although with great detachment, for phosphorus pollution. In Piedmont the situation is critical especially in the provinces of Cuneo, Asti and Alessandriawhere there are intensive farms. Nitrogen and phosphorus make algae proliferate in an abnormal way, which reduces oxygen and suffocates fish and native flora, which would contribute to the maintenance of the banks. By investing in technology we aim to restore a healthy environment and to reduce 160 million per year that Piedmont spends maintenance on water networks”.
