More precious than gold, more profitable oil. In Italy the water, primary commodity, to be a fundamental right is turning into a commodity for corporations. An increasingly lucrative business. Over the past five years the rates have increased an average of 35 percent. Growth second only to oil. And the daughter of a savage privatization, done in the name of a false efficiency. Obtained, often with the complicity of the public institutions, incompetence or negligence, have left the appetites of private control and managing the water system.
The turning point came on January 5, 1994 with the Galli Law (later merged in April 2006 in the Environmental Code), which is enacted with the aim to simplify the management of public water, then shared between nine thousand different subjects well . 91 Ato are defined (optimal territorial areas) or areas related to the provision of water services. Each ATO is under the control of local authorities. They, however, often have the dual role of shareholders alongside the private sector. What a potential market of € 8 billion they stick it headfirst. As "Acea" or the French multinationals "Suez" and "Veolia", which crosses between management and equity, you are eating slices of territory to almost zero cost. Because individuals do not invest or invest little in the water. Not even 10 per cent of the amount due.
As the Antitrust Authority for the water to assist the replacement of public monopolies with private monopolies. A trend accentuated by the Tremonti Law of 6 August 2008 which makes it even more complex a return of local management. Many, in fact, now the vorrebbero.Contro this trend is fighting the "Movement for the Public Water" the II National Forum which will meet in mid-November. Our journey around the world, water privatization, however, is concentrated in Lazio and Tuscany. Two regions symbol, for years the point of attachment to the water service.
Rebels Aprilia
In via Aldo Moro 45, arrived in three, good morning. I got out, went up to the box of water meters, have identified that the editorial staff of "The Coffee", a small but fierce local biweekly, and applied the pressure, a device that chokes the tube dispenser transforming in a kind of dropper. The device is just the latest weapon used by "Acqualatina", the company that manages the water supply in southern Lazio, in its war for water management in April.
"Acqualatina" was founded in 2002 as a joint enterprise: 51 percent of shares belong to thirty-eight municipalities in the area (4 Ato del Lazio) and, therefore, formally the majority is public. But in reality they are individuals, led by the French multinational company "Veolia" to run the business and investment decisions.
The new company takes control of the waters of Aprilia in 2004 without the city council has approved the "management contract" which, among other things, should specify the system for the calculation of charges to users. However, for a year, no one notices. "Acqualatina" does not care neither read nor a census of the counters. The amount of the bill remains the same as in public management.
The blow on users comes a year later. Apply new tariffs and new criteria for calculating consumption. Housewives and retirees are seen delivering bills with amounts equal to double and even triple what they had always paid. There are cases in which the inflation touching 3000 percent. Helen Francis, owner of a bar in June 2005 he received a bill for nearly three thousand euro for the annual consumption of his club. To public management had never paid more than € 600.
The senseless privatization led to the creation of the Committee for the Defence of public water. "We decided - explains Mauro Pontoni, the founder - to pay the bills directly to the City apply the tariffs set by CIPE in June of 2004. " Are on average less than 250 percent of those claims by "Acqualatina. Soon the movement comes to collect seven thousand people, roughly half of the total. But the company management does not recognize the validity dell'autoriduzione. The money remains frozen in the current account, while local citizens, the private company, are in arrears.
The fact is that "Acqualatina" is more or less what he wants. The Conference of Mayors, to which the law entrusts the task of control is absent. Indeed there is, but on the other side of the fence. When the company was founded, the Chairman of the Board shall be a representative of public institutions, the CEO is a manager of the "Veolia". And it's all over the board of directors of the local political elite.
a partial consolation for angry people, 23 January 2008 to end arrests six officers of the company from its CEO and former president of the province, Paride Martella, past UDC Italy of Values, said Roberto Alessio Legambiente, "in overnight."
But despite the intervention of the courts administrators remain in place and "Acqualatina" goes on in his war against the defaulters. By threatening to close the pipeline, implemented, along with bulldozers and armed vigilantes and, more often, as the case of "The Coffee", by sending technicians armed with gear. The latest victim, a retired resident via Amsterdam. When the engineers were presented by threatening to turn off the water, had taken ill and was hospitalized. The
"Ferrarelle" of Collelavena
When welcomes us on the veranda of his house in Collelavena, a hamlet of Alatri, province of Frosinone, the jar is already in plain sight on the table. Monica Ascenzi, thirty from mahogany hair and strong face, you keep ten centimeters of water. Or so the caller. Why not seem to water. On bottom of the jar there is a layer of white limestone and white as snow, two centimeters high. Monica takes the jar, shake the water turns into milk. "It's like a liquid rock. He wants a drink? ".
The strange phenomenon has its origins in September 2007. To meet the periodic water shortages in an area that is also rich sources, "the ACEA ATO 5, the private company that manages water resources for the area of \u200b\u200bFrosinone, began to supply the homes of 450 families using Collelavena water from a communal well. The well reaches a depth of 350 meters and therefore should be equipped with water softener. But "Acea ATO 5" does not shall fix it. "At first came out sparkling water. It seemed Ferrarelle "says Monica.
But the illusion did not last long. "Within two days the milk has become Ferrarelle. Milk of rock. " Before starting to clog the pipes of the shower. A wheel is broken boiler, washing machine and dishwasher. When the animals start to die, "dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens," Monica decided to act. Despite assurances from the mayor of Alatri Migliocca Constantine, who works as a gynecologist, is to analyze the water in the laboratory of ASL. The answer is disturbing: the tap out a liquid that has a hardness of 77.5 degrees in France. For human consumption is recommended a hardness between 15 and 30 degrees and the absolute upper limit is set at 50. Monica and the other inhabitants decide to stop using water from the network, or to eat or to wash.
"The softener Collelavena - Severo Lutrario explains, the observatory" Peppino Impastato "Frosinone - is just one of many under-investment of ACEA ATO 5. Yet the company, owned 92 percent by Acea, had established in the "Area Plan", that is the basis of the tender for the privatization, to invest more than € 344 million in facilities, sewers, mains. A quarter of the figure would be realized by the first five years. "But if they have" yards " about six - said Fulvio Pica president of the district Cottorino Hill - Our Lady of the Snow - but that does not mean that they were made then. "
The fact is that the investments are, by law, to determine the final rates. What area of \u200b\u200bFrosinone in the next six years, since the management has been privatized, are sketched above. For the "band facilitated, ie the lower one, said Pica," the increases exceeded the rate of 95 percent of the award and even 250 percent of the old rates of Commons. " Lack of investment, of course, have a social cost. Acea does not guarantee the 150 liters per day of potable water provided per inhabitant the Convention. "Some areas of the city - says Lutrario - suffer periodic interruptions in service. Get home and find you and no water. " Who can afford it was equipped with tanks, others line up in front of the fountain where the only consolation, high spring water flows. In a row, as it was sixty years fa.L 'also did Monica for about nine months until the Acea has placed the water softener. It 'happened a month ago. "Today I go there less because at least I can wash at home. But no drinking, just do not think. " From under the table pulls out another jar. On the label the date is September 2008. The bottom of the limestone is reduced to half a centimeter.
go back? The case of Arezzo
Donatella Bidini has a particular store. Neither data nor the file, but bills. His water bills for the last ten years. "Here look. In 1998, public management, I paid 173 thousand pounds a year. Today I pay 800 € with the same consumption. "
Arezzo everyone wants to go back ten years ago when he decided to enter the private management. Within a quarter in the city and in many other municipalities in the area, rates increased by an average of 45 percent.
The story begins in 1998 when, to manage the Ato number 4 of Tuscany, which includes 37 municipalities (33 of which are Arezzo, Siena 4) creates the "New spa waters." As with Aprilia, this is a joint enterprise. To be most common form with 53 percent, and the rest to private management. And even here the lion's share is a French group. Not "Veolia", this time, but "Suez", another world leader. In society come to two Italian banks: the population of Etruria and Monte dei Paschi. With
"Nuove Acque spa" provides the multinational Suez profitable relationships. Especially through the "technical advice", a heading which includes "transfer of the assets of know-how and professionalism." Whose value was originally set at six billion lire, in a few months rises to almost eight times to reach 45 billion.
Individuals direct the game. Moving money, win contracts and apply high tariffs. And, through project financing, also obtained the formal control of the company. "In 2005 - says the mayor of Anghiari Daniela Bianchi -" Nuove Acque SpA "decide a number of investment projects. To do so are a lot of money. " Seventy million. Not all subscribe to the common project. Those who do are forced to apply for funding. And it Popolare Etruria and the Monte dei Paschi, the two Italian banks members of the "Suez" to pay. Apply a rate of interest, variable, seven per cent, or three points higher than that charged by the state with the Cassa. As the banks require collateral pledged to the municipalities that subscribe their shares in "New Waters". And that's it. The company is now controlled by private individuals.
Arezzo trying to organize a movement against the high-water fails, but some citizens still decide to go it alone. One member, Maria Rossi, refuses to pay the bills and fixing door "New Waters" in court managed to get a refund. The
to court is a road that some of the common (as the Upper Tiber Valley, of all political colors) is planning to take to return to public management. «Back can and must go back," says Charles Schiatti, former president 'sorry' for New Waters. "I went in 2003 with a report where I said everything." And, among other things: "We must have the courage to say that we were wrong. The water service can not be privatized. Or in part, because public administrators are not ready to compete with the manager by profession, or at all. Experience has shown that the integrated service must remain public. Honour to those who had understood before. "
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