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Built by the Greeks, they have been around for at least 2400 years and still supply water to the center of Syracuse. Just visit the Arethuseum Archaeological Park to see the abundant water source, which seems a miracle in this year’s drought: the water transported by the aqueduct flows here in the Nymphaeum caves, just above the Greek theater.
Greek aqueducts still in operation
Of the seven aqueducts for which we have information, at least three were built by the Greeks (perhaps with no small contribution from the genius Archimedes) and are still in use today. In at least one case, they brought water to the city: not drinking water, but at least usable for irrigating the fields. This is the Galermi aqueduct, built by Gerone in 480 BC, dug into the rock, which runs for about thirty kilometers to the city of Calcinara, starting from the countryside of Sortino, still in the province of Syracuse, after capturing water from the stream, the largest tributary of the Anapo: we see on the sign that it has a flow rate of 500 liters per second. But the truth is that, painfully for today’s thirsty people, the water carried by these aqueducts ends up being wasted most of the time and often flows into the sea. “This water was channeled into the sea because it had no civilian use. Most of the water in the Gallemi Canal was lost, especially in the last section closest to the city,” explains Nino Di Guardo, a hydraulic engineer who for years worked on the hydraulic system of Syracuse and other areas. “Eventually, a purifier was enough.”
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But even if the huge amount of water brought by the infrastructure built by the Greeks ended up in the urban network, it would be of no use, because in Syracuse (according to Istat data), 65.2% of the water transported by the urban network is lost (in Sicily) the national average loss is 51.6% (the national average loss is 42%), but some people cite data from Utilitalia, which shows that the capital of Arezzo has lost 67.6%. If not, just take a walk around the Basilica of Our Lady of Tears to see endless water pouring out of the road.
Water supply
Siam, the company responsible for managing Syracuse’s integrated water services since 2015, began by highlighting “the old problems of ageing and wear and tear in the city’s water network, which the company can only intervene in emergencies, with constant and expensive repair activities”. The company then explained to the citizens that “it can only operate with the remaining water, which is no longer enough and can only be distributed through shifts and night rationing”. Indeed, everyone knows that rebuilding a network that dates back to the 1960s at best requires rapid investments. Francesco Italia, the mayor of Syracuse and also the president of the Water Authority, also stated: “This is the situation and we are aware of it, but I dare say that we are also overwhelmed by the rules that hinder us, unlike what happens in the waste sector, as the various municipalities take advantage of the precious resources of the PNR or other funds. Ato management, as we conceived it, is by no means an effort to overcome difficulties. Considering that a large part of the participating municipalities – mostly in a state of bankruptcy or close to bankruptcy – have never paid the participation fee. After the choice of a joint venture company, we are waiting for the winning bid of a private entity (only Acea participated) convened by the Regional Commissioner, which is in stagnation due to the usual calls “.
It is not recommended for heart patients to drink water
In addition to the losses, there is also the problem of the quality of the water, which is “contaminated” by salt due to years of overexploitation of springs. “The amount extracted from the subsoil is about 20 million cubic meters per year, introduced into the distribution network through five tanks”, says Pippo Ansaldi, geologist and long-time director of Legambiente in Syracuse. The main wells in Dammusi and San Nicola are saline and should be replaced as soon as possible. Once again, an intervention in the very dilapidated distribution network is absolutely necessary. “For a city that is said to be built on water, this problem is not insignificant. It also concerns public health: the bills carry a warning that the water is not recommended for heart patients, those with high blood pressure and all those suffering from diseases related to the amount of sodium chloride in their daily intake.
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