Update 7.11.18
A few days after our last update on repair work to the sewerage ring, an inspection of some of the pumping stations by experts from M5S found that some of the work was still incomplete, such as the connection of new electric panels at some of the stations and the installation of new pumps at others. According to the directors of COBALB, the work should have been completed by the end of October..
However for various reasons the work continues to be slow. There is the fact that the money allocated for the restoration work to the sewerage ring (around 400,000 Euro out of a total of 1.2 million) was exhausted months ago and has on several occasions had to be supplemented with new funds. Also, a sense of urgency to conclude this work is lacking, probably because the tourist season has ended and the pumping system is basically functioning. Nonetheless yesterday 6th November, another major wastewater spill occurred at station 13.
Meanwhile all the waste water continues to end up in the river Marta. Various measures planned for the collector, like the remote alarm system and the replacement of some of the pipes, have been postponed. Work on the wastewater treatment plant has not yet started and we have not heard when it will begin. And don’t forget that the planned measures don’t assure sufficient protection for the lake; still to be done are verifying the water-tightness of the pipes, the restoration of the emergency power generators in the pumping stations, the restoration of the municipal drains, resolving the problem of discharges on the west side…
The Lazio region certainly plays a role in the delay, showing its displeasure of and the consequent will to exercise political pressure on the many councils that
still refuse to join Talete (the sole operator water services in ATO1 Lazio Nord-Viterbo). Displeasure expressed by Regional Councillor Mauro Alessandri, who threatened to put non-compliant councils in compulsory administration. Furthermore, he pointed out that “the overall costs of the integrated water services must be covered by the tariffs”, simplifying (in fact over-simplifying) a complex issue.
The Legislative Decree 152/2006 imposed single management on the integrated water services of ATO1. In accordance with this decree, in 2010 the management of Talete began and the Region ceased to finance COBALB, which however continued to manage the circumlacual sewage system. In 2015 the Region threatened for the first time to place in administration those municipalities which had not yet joined Talete.
It was and is the responsibility of the Region to resolve this administrative-political deadlock (the ultimate cause of the lake’s current problems) in which it plays a major part alongside the municipalities, COBALB and Talete. One fact that will have important consequences in this complicated situation is the failure of COBALB, which recently filed for bankruptcy.
