WRITTEN QUESTION P-3326/00

by Mariotto Segni (UEN) to the Commission

(18 October 2000)

Subject: Severe water shortage in Sardinia

Sardinia is currently suffering from a critical water shortage, which is affecting the agricultural sector in particular but also supplies of drinking water and water for industry.

This cannot be passed off as a temporary emergency, as there is no doubt that there has been a radical change in the climate over the last sixty years and it should be noted that, at the beginning of this year's draw-off period (March), the island's artificial reservoirs contained only 27 % of their total capacity and the three years from 1997 to 2000 appear to have been the driest in the last 78 years.

The level of available water supplies, the equivalent of 270 m3 per inhabitant per year, is far below the 1000 m3 laid down by the Worldwatch Institute as the minimum threshold below which scarcity of supply places constraints on the primary needs of domestic consumers and on economic development; it is comparable to the level of supply in countries such as Egypt, Libya and Saudi Arabia.

This problem is threatening Sardinia's economy and disrupting the lives of all the island's inhabitants.

The measures set out under 1.1 and 1.2 in the ROP are completely inadequate to cope with one of the most serious water shortages in the Mediterranean area.

In view of the foregoing:

1. Would the Commission state what concrete proposals are currently being considered to tackle this situation, with particular emphasis on the framework for the future?

2. What ad hoc measures to address natural disasters could be used to provide financial support for action to optimise the distribution of the island's water resources, limit leaks, recycle urban effluent, construct new water storage facilities and divert water courses which are not being used towards artificial reservoirs?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(30 November 2000)

The Commission is aware of Sardinia's underdevelopment as regards managing water resources.

For the 2000-2006 programming period, the Community support framework (CSF) for the Italian regions eligible under Objective 1 has set priorities for the sector which cover two aspects: infrastructure improvement and management system administration. As regards the first, assistance will have to be concentrated on converting water conveyancing and purification facilities, adapting supply and distribution monitoring systems, and building new facilities for reusing purified water. As regards the second, effective management systems will have to be developed in order to make a clearer distinction between controlling and managing resources and to bridge the gap between assistance planning and financial responsibility.

The regional operational programme (ROP) for Sardinia lists these points under measure 1.1 of the natural resources priority. The detailed criteria set by the CSF will apply in order to ensure that the projects selected are consistent with the sectoral law in force in Italy (Legge Galli).

The financial allocation set aside for that priority is the Sardinia ROP's second largest, with Structural Funds assistance accounting for 520 628 million out of an investment cost totalling 1 072,51 million.

As it explained to Parliament on 25 October(1) with regard to financial help for affected areas and reinstating the budget heading for emergency aid in the event of natural disasters, the Commission considers that since other possibilities for Community support exist and in view of the financial and human resources available other initiatives should be accorded higher priority at this stage.

(1) Plenary session debate of 25 October 2000.