Italian aqueduct loses more water than it delivers
The ancient Romans may have mastered the art of building impressive
aqueducts to deliver water across their empire, but modern day Italian
engineers seem to be struggling with water retention, a study shows.
The aqueduct serving Puglia, the important agricultural region that forms
the heel of the Italian boot-shaped peninsula, is riddled with so many holes
that it leaks more water than it delivers, according to a study by Italian
investment bank Mediobanca released on Thursday.
The 102-years-old Acquedotto Pugliese, Europe's largest with about 16,000
kms (10,000 miles) of conduits, loses 50.3 percent of the water it
carries.
Overall Italy wastes 14 percent more water than France, 36 percent more
than Spain, 56 percent more than Britain and 311 percent more than Germany,
the study said.
The Puglia aqueduct is so important because the region produces wine,
olives and a vast array of vegetables, nuts and grains, but average
rainfalls can be a third less than those in northern Italy.
In contrast to the Acquedotto Pugliese is the aqueduct serving the northern
Italian city of Milan. It was rated the most efficient in the country,
losing only 10.3 percent of its contents en route, Mediobanca said.
The conduits serving Rome lose 35.4 percent of their water.
Contact information |
Reporting by Giancarlo Navach and Mathias Wildt, Editing by Matthew Jones
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News type | Inbrief |
File link |
http://www.reuters.com/article/scienceNews/idUSL2490865720080124 |
Source of information | Reuters |
Subject(s) | AGRICULTURE , HYDRAULICS - HYDROLOGY , INFRASTRUCTURES , POLICY-WATER POLICY AND WATER MANAGEMENT |
Relation | http://www.semide.org/topics/agriculture |
Geographical coverage | Italy |
News date | 07/02/2008 |
Working language(s) | ENGLISH |