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Press release

Water census

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The volume of water abstracted for drinking use amounted to 9.5 billion cubic meters in 2015, broadly stable compared to 2012 (+0.3%)

84.3% of the water abstracted for drinkable use derived from fresh groundwater (48.0% from well and 36.3% from spring), 15.6% from fresh surface water (9.9% from artificial basin, 4.8% from river and 0.9% from natural lake) and the remaining 0.1% from sea or brackish waters.

Nearly one third (33.0%) of the water withdrawn came from treatment plants so as to ensure the drinking water standards.

8.3 billion of cubic meters of water for drinking use were placed in the municipal distribution networks: 375 liters per capita per day, with a slight decrease of 0.4% compared with 2012.

220 liters per capita was the quantity of water daily delivered by public water supply to the users (21 liters less than 2012). A total volume of 4.9 billion cubic meters is necessary to meet the drinkable needs of
the territory.

In 2015 total water losses amounted to 41.4% of the water in input in the supply network, indicating a worsening compared to 2012, when the indicator was 37.4%.

The real losses, after deduction of customer meter inaccuracies, systematic data handling errors in customer billing systems and unauthorized consumption, were equal to 38.3% of the volume input in the network. It was a huge volume, equal to 3.2 billion cubic meters which, upon estimating 80 m3 per inhabitant each year, represented the yearly water necessity for about 40 million people.

All regions showed, although with different levels, a general deterioration of the losses level in water supply networks, with the exception of Valle d’Aosta and Piemonte.

For information

Stefano Tersigni
Ph. +39 06.4673.7511
stefano.tersigni@istat.it

Fabrizio Maria Arosio
Ph. +39  06.4673.7210
arosio@istat.it

 

Reference period: Year 2015

Date of Issue: 14 December 2017

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