With an average water consumption of 237 liters per capita, Italy is the largest water consumer per capita in Europe, where the average is 120 liters per capita.
Of course, we can say that Italians drink a lot, but above all they waste a lot more.
This is in part due to the particularly low cost of water in Italy compared to other European countries, which itself can be explained by a low investment in the water network.
In addition, 37% of water withdrawn at the source is wasted and does not reach the end users due to the dispersion of water from the supply and distribution networks.
On the other hand, Italians are heavy consumers of bottled water, and 29% of families do not trust tap water.
It is therefore understandable that Italy is not among the best students in the management of the consumption of water resources, but why should it be more careful?
Water, a limited resource
Although our planet is 97% covered with water, less than 1% of this water is usable by humans.
In addition, our water resources are threatened by intensive agriculture, pollution and population density which leads to overexploitation of resources.
Today, according to the European Environment Agency, 74% of groundwater in Europe has a "good chemical status" but only 40% of surface water (lake, rivers, coastal waters, etc.) has a "good" or "very good" ecological status.
In addition, Europe is not spared from the water stress situation and drought episodes are becoming more and more common. According to forecasts from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), these episodes of drought will continue to multiply with global warming and may even become normal if we continue in this direction.
The water exploitation index, calculated by the ratio between the volume of water collected each year and the totality of available resources in the long term, clearly shows how the pressures exerted on pure water resources are getting stronger, even in European countries. Water resources are under pressure in many countries such as Cyprus, Bulgaria, Belgium, Spain, Italy and Malta which exploit more than 20% of their water resources per year.
Water, an unevenly distributed resource
Some countries share most of the water resources while others live in dire straits.
While the WHO recommends a vital minimum of 20 liters of water per person per day to meet basic hydration and personal hygiene needs, it is observed that, in certain countries of sub-Saharan Africa in particular, this average is not even reached, while in more developed countries, it greatly exceeds human needs for a decent living.
Water, a resource whose exploitation impacts biodiversity
First, the excessive exploitation of water resources can have a significant impact on biodiversity. Indeed, water is also a vital need for animals and plants and poor management of this resource can influence their development.
Wastewater, caused by industries, agriculture or families, causes pollution through chemical discharges, sewers, and runoff of nutrients or pesticides from agricultural land.
In the case of electricity production, the use of water by hydroelectric power stations affects its natural cycle, while dams and other physical barriers modify ecosystems, which disrupts the biodiversity present in the territory.
Tips to limit the waste of water at home
You will understand that saving water is a necessity. Very simply, there are a whole bunch of tips and reflexes to adopt to allow, on an individual scale, to reduce our water consumption significantly:
Regularly check the condition of your piping and taps to avoid leaks
Use a dishwasher (without starting empty machines) or do your dishes by hand in a smart way
Choose the right household appliance by favoring appliances that consume less water and energy
Prefer showers to baths
Equip your taps with a water saver
Turn off your tap between two uses (A classic tap consumes an average of 12 liters of water per minute)
Space out your shampoos and do not wash yourself too often (a shower every two days is sometimes sufficient)
Install a dual-flow flushing system in your toilets
Recover and reuse water (rainwater, cooking water, shower ...)
Favor a vegetable and seasonal diet (the production of 100g of beef requires 1500 liters of water)
Limit food waste
Avoid plastic water bottles (in addition to creating plastic waste, the production of the bottle and the bottling process requires a large amount of water)
Do not succumb to the overconsumption of clothing and favor second-hand clothes (The textile industry is also very water-hungry, the production of jeans requires around 11 000 liters of water!)
It's not that hard not to waste the water after all, so why not to try? 😉