Siracusa water management sparks political conflict

A political dispute has intensified in Siracusa regarding the management of the water service and the company Aretusacque. Luca Cannata, a deputy for Fratelli d’Italia, has accused Mayor Francesco Italia, who also serves as president of the Territorial Water Assembly (ATI), of mismanagement, lack of transparency, and failing to address widespread service disruptions.

In response, Mayor Italia has countered by highlighting issues in the municipality of Avola, where approximately 13,000 users reportedly lack water meters, leading to flat-rate billing. He also noted that several projects in Avola, including a 2.77 million euro initiative for meter installation, were excluded from regional funding due to documentation issues.

The conflict occurs against a backdrop of political instability in Siracusa, where a motion of no confidence against Mayor Italia is scheduled for discussion in mid-November. Meanwhile, local political groups and the Democratic Party (PD) continue to demand greater transparency regarding water tariffs, public control of the utility, and infrastructure investments.