Italy water companies sign resilience pact to combat climate change

During the Water Festival in Rome, Italian water management entities and stakeholders addressed the growing challenges of climate change and water scarcity. Sixty-four companies associated with Utilitalia signed the ‘Pact for Water Resilience,’ a commitment to shift from emergency management to prevention-based planning for nearly 42 million citizens.

Key initiatives discussed include the regulation of ‘water credits’ through a legislative proposal by Senator Marco Silvestroni to incentivize water reuse. Additionally, ANBI and Schneider Electric signed a memorandum to advance the digital transformation of irrigation and pumping infrastructures. Experts warned that snow resources could decrease by 50% by 2070, potentially impacting spring irrigation cycles.

Financial concerns were also raised, with Utilitalia’s Director General Annamaria Barrile noting a potential €2 billion annual investment gap following the Pnrr phase. The sector requires approximately €6 billion annually to modernize infrastructure, enhance cybersecurity for digitalized networks, and improve water retention capabilities to mitigate the effects of both floods and droughts.