Availability and safety of fit-for-purpose water resources within the changing climate framework

In 2023 Italy water crysis has been critical from the early winter, even and especially in the Northern Italy and the fertile Po Valley. Future scenarios suggest to consider water scarsity and droughts as frequent conditions that need urgent and substantial systemic actions and change of paradigm for water management. In Italy this phenomenon is exacerbated by lack of water efficiency and need of urgent infrastructure for additional and/or alternative water sources. The extraordinary national water plan has been proposed by relevant national Italian Ministries grouped in a Coordination team. Important solutions have been planned within the National recovery plan which implementation need to be assessed for its continuous improvement. In addition, environmental and health risk-based approaches should be always pursued along the whole water cycle. The workshop will deal with those challenges and potential solutions highlighting even the EU-wide scenario.

SESSION 1 Water resources availability: quality and quantity

Session Chairs

Alessandro Bratti, General Secretary of the Po River Basin Authority
Giuseppe Bortone, Director ASSOARPA (National Association of Regional Environmental Protection Agencies)
Alessandro Russo, Vice-President UTILITALIA (Italian federation of energy, water and environmental services)
Bernd Gawlik, Joint Research Centre, European Commission (TBC)

Programme

10.00-10.05 Introduction by the Chairs: Water resource problems in Italy, Europe and Mediterranean basin: brief overview and setting the scene

10.05-10.20 The Italian extraordinary national water planT he National “Cabina di Regia” on drought 
Elisabetta Pellegrini, Coordinator of Technical structure of MIT Representative of the Cabina di Regia Ministeriale 

10.20-10.35 Assessment of regional water scarsity and infrastructural assets: methodologies and case studies in Po River Catchment
Francesco Tornatore, Po River Basin Authority

10.35-10.50 Climate change and impacts on water quality
Pietro Rubellini, General Director ARPA Toscana – AssoArpa

10.50-11.05 Water safety plan implementation: where do we stand and what we need to consolidate in light of climate change
Luca Lucentini, Italian National Health Institute

11.05-11.20 The effects of climate change on water service
Francesca Mazzarella UTILITATIS

11.20-11.35 Assessment of the environmental impacts of water scarcity: the operational support of the regional environmental protection agencies to the permanent observatories on water uses
Secondo Barbero, Arpa Piemonte - AssoArpa

11.35-11.50 Assessment of regional water scarsity and infrastructural assets: methodologies and case studies in Marche region
Francesco Fatone, Marche Polytechnic University
Speaker from ATO1 Marche (TBC)
Speaker from Marche Multiservizi (TBC)
Speaker from ASET Fano (TBC)

11.50-12.05 Water reuse as alternative water resources: current European and national progress
Bernd Gawlik and Roberta Maffettone, Joint Research Centre. European Commission (TBC)

12.05-12.20 The roadmap for the application of the National Decree 18/2023 for the water intended for human consumption
Pasqualino Rossi - Ministry of Health - Director of the Prevention of Chemical, Physical and Biological Risks and Promotion of Environmental Health, Occupational Health and Safety Office

12.20-12.35 A new approach for water reuse planning and potential assessment at irrigation districts scale: the HERA and Consorzio della Bonifica Renana case-stady

Attilio Toscano, University of Bologna
Paolo Gelli, HERA “The challenges of Water Reuse in Bologna : from a local experience to an integrated District Approach”
Michele Solmi and Ilich Ghinello, CBR

12.35-12.50 Water reuse risk management plan according to the new EU regulation: full scale case study and implementation in Fregene
ACEA ATO2 (TBC)

12.50-13.05 European R&D&I funding opportunities in the area of water scarcity and water reuse
Giulio Pattanaro, European Commission, REA.B.3, Biodiversity, Circular Economy and Environment

SESSION 2 Focus on PNRR and water infrastructure: state of implementation, critical issues and proposal for improvement

Session Chairs

Attilio Toscano, University of Bologna and Techincal structure of MIT
Giordano Colarullo, UTILITALIA (Italian federation of energy, water and environmental services)

Massimo Gargano, ANBI (Italian association of reclamation and irrigation consortia)

Programme

14.00-14.10 Introduction by the Chairs

14.10-15.30 Presentation of relevant and well in progress case studies funded by the PNRR and REACT EU on potable water uses
Coordinated by: Ing. Paolo Romano member of the federal government of UTILITALIA (Italian federation of energy, water and environmental services)

Andrea Di Piazza, UTILITATIS "State of the art of water PNRR projects in Italy"
Armando Quazzo, SMAT "The project of the drinking water distribution in Valle Orco"
Mario Natale, ABC and Giuseppina Scamardella, Almaviva ABC4Innovation -"IWRM innovation in the city of Naples"
Giacomo Antronaco, Sogip and Davide Parisi, Almaviva “Reduction of losses, digitalisation and optimization of the water network managed by Sogip

15.30-16.00 Presentation of relevant and well in progress case studies funded by the PNRR on agricultural water uses

Coordinated by:

Raffaella Zucaro, ANBI Emilia-Romagna and CER
Cinalberto Bertozzi, Consorzio della Bonifica Burana
Francesco Santoro, Consorzio di Bonifica della Capitanata

16.00-17.50 Panel discussion: Reservoirs and water infrastructures after the PNRR

Coordinated by:

Attilio Toscano, University of Bologna and MIT

Speakers:
Elisabetta Pellegrini, Coordinator of Technical structure of MIT Representative of the Cabina di Regia Ministeriale
Laura D’Aprile, Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (TBC)
Giuseppe Blasi, Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry (TBC)
Nicola Dall’Acqua, DROUGHT COMMISSIONER (TBC)
Lorenzo Bardelli, ARERA
Francesco Vincenzi, ANBI
Monica Manto, Utilitalia and President of Viveracqua
Rosario Mazzola, Presidente UTILITATIS
Fabio Fatuzzo, Commissario Unico Depurazione

17.50-18.00 Concluding remarks by the chairs