Cagliari, new drinking fountains and repairs to old ones: "To combat heat and the climate crisis."

The Cagliari City Council has approved the motion to restore existing public fountains and install new water distribution points within the city.

This is emphasized in a Europa Verde statement, which describes it as "an act born from the awareness that water is a fundamental primary resource and that ensuring access to it is a public responsibility that can no longer be postponed."

This measure was adopted because "the climate crisis is exposing the city to increasingly intense and prolonged heat waves, with direct health impacts, especially for the most vulnerable," and "exposure to extreme heat poses concrete health risks, such as dehydration and heatstroke. In this context, the presence of functioning drinking fountains becomes an essential protection measure."

"Today," it explains, "many drinking fountains are non-functional, damaged, or abandoned, and in several neighborhoods—particularly those with a high population over 65—access to free drinking water is non-existent. ISTAT data shows that the percentage of residents over 65 is 24.3%," and that Cagliari has a strong intergenerational imbalance, with particularly high peaks in neighborhoods like Quartiere Europeo, Mulinu Becciu, and Genneruxi.

In detail, the approved motion provides:

- a complete mapping of existing drinking fountains;

- the immediate restoration of non-functioning taps, with timed taps to avoid waste;

- identifying areas without water points, with priority given to the most populous, elderly, or disadvantaged neighborhoods;

- the installation of new drinking fountains and water dispensers, including card-based systems to ensure hygiene and affordable access;

- coordination with Abbanoa SpA, already involved in the renovation of the water networks, to optimize time and resources;

- awareness-raising actions on the value of water as a common good.

"We are proud of this achievement, the fruit of collaborative work that is attentive to the city's real needs. Ensuring accessible drinking water means protecting health, reducing inequalities, and building a fairer, safer, and more caring Cagliari," concludes the Europa Verde statement.

(Unioneonline)