The extraordinary national commissioner for interventions related to the water emergency has approved the long-term plan to strengthen the capacity of the three desalination plants in Gela (Caltanissetta), Porto Empedocle (Agrigento) and Trapani. The interventions will be covered with funds of 41,758,374.00 euros.
The plan
The three watermakers were activated, for the first phase, in recent months. Both the commissioner structure and the control room for Sicily believe that the water crisis has not been overcome. Doubling is planned for the Gela and Trapani plants, up to a flow rate of 192 liters per second each. For the Porto Empedocle system, the forecast is to confirm the flow rate of 96 liters per second “integrated by an additional module of 24 liters per second and the creation of a storage tank of approximately 3,500 m3, to guarantee continuity of service even in the event of faults”, we read in the decree signed by the extraordinary commissioner, Nicola Dell’Acqua. The activation of the first phase had already committed funds for 79,241,626 euros, largely from the FSC financing program.
Drought, Schifani: rigorous path on the water emergency
«We continue with a rigorous and careful path, based on concrete and responsible choices. We are aware that watermakers do not represent the definitive solution to the drought problem, but giving up these interventions would have exposed Sicily to much worse consequences. The 41 million plan to upgrade the Gela, Porto Empedocle and Trapani plants is a further fundamental step in strengthening the resilience of the regional water system. We continue to work seriously, without easy illusions, but with the determination to guarantee immediate responses and plan structural solutions for the future.” The president of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani, says this in a note.