Capoterra, a revolutionary project to give a well to every neighborhood

Exploiting the groundwater of the territory to cut the costs of Abbanoa's bills and irrigate public parks and private gardens at reasonable prices: the Municipality is thinking of a revolutionary project to create a well in every neighborhood of Capoterra. If it were to come to fruition, the idea would allow to overcome the great thirst that, especially in recent years, characterizes the dry summers of the Island: thanks to a supply of non-potable water, a good part of Capoterra's problems could be solved.

The mayor, Beniamino Garau, explains how the path towards the creation of a well in every residential area of the territory could be truly viable: « Capoterra has always had rather rich aquifers, through a project that would directly involve the citizens, this resource could be exploited to guarantee non-potable water all year round . We are talking about a water system parallel to that of Abbanoa and with its own networks, which would allow for constant water to irrigate public and private greenery and for other uses». The wells, of course, would need alternative distribution lines to those of the manager who guarantees potable water to homes, which is why the alternative water system would need a private company to be able to stand on its own two feet.

" It would be the citizens themselves who would stipulate an agreement with the manager, obviously at prices much lower than those paid for drinking water ," Garau explains. "To take off, the project will need pipes separate from those of Abbanoa: in the design of the new subdivisions, water lines that will be connected to the nearest well are already planned. We believe that, as happens in private subdivisions in the coastal areas, the rest of the territory can also benefit from its own wells."

From the minority benches, former mayor Francesco Dessì has more than one doubt about the possibility of giving a well to every neighborhood: "I don't know how feasible this idea is. I don't know the project that the Garau administration has in mind: I prefer to focus on the present, made up of leaky water networks that are now old. What is needed immediately is the replacement of underground services ."

Public water is the subject of Giovanni Ruggeri, consultant for municipalities that are not part of Abbanoa: «I honestly don't believe that the Region will ever give authorization to dig new wells in Capoterra, those of the condominiums on the coast are constantly under the magnifying glass of the competent bodies due to the high salinity that often emerges from the analyses, I don't know if the fact that the water would be used exclusively for non-domestic purposes could make a difference ».