The perfluoroalchilic and polypluoralchylic substances, better known as PFAS, have long been at the center of the environmental and health debate, also in Italy. These chemical compounds, still very (too) used in daily use products for their properties of resistance to heat, water and fats, have proved to be extremely problematic in the environment both for the environment and for human health.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the International Cancer Research Agency (IARC) have recognized how some PFAS substances, in particular Pfoa and Pfos, can be potentially carcinogenic and toxic. The problem is that their presence was also found in numerous aquifers and water networks, especially in regions such as Veneto and Piedmont, which obviously is very worrying for the safety of drinking water.
Pfas contamination in waters intended for human consumption is a problem of maximum importance, which requires timely and targeted interventions. It becomes essential to adopt a coordinated approach based on solid scientific evidence, to protect public health and safeguard water resources. In short, new management strategies are needed.
In this context, Utilitalia – the Federation that represents over 400 public managers of water and environmental services – presented a positioning document with 5 operational proposals to deal with the PFAS emergency in a structural and sustainable way.
European limits and adaptation difficulties
To protect public health, the European Union has defined very rigid limits on the presence of PFAS in the water intended for human consumption. These values were implemented by Italy in 2023 with the Legislative Decree 18/2023. However, the managers of the water service report that respecting these parameters by the European deadline of 2026 is technically complex and expensive.
For this reason, Utilitalia asked for an extension until 2027, hoping for more realistic times that allow to achieve the necessary adjustments without compromising the safety of the water supply.
The cost of purification and the “polluting pays” principle
Remove PFAS from the water requires advanced technologies, such as treatment with active carbon or reverse osmosis, which involve high costs both in economic and energy terms. For example, only investments are estimated in Veneto in the order of tens of millions of euros to modernize the plants.
This scenario risks translating into an increase in bills for consumers, while those who have polluted continue not to be adequately sanctioned. For this, one of the key points of the Utilitalia document is the rigorous application of the “Paying Pay” principle, which requires companies responsible to take charge of the reclamation and prevention costs.
The five proposals of Utilitalia
To deal with the problem of PFAS contamination in potable waters in a concrete and sustainable way, Utilitalia has developed five fundamental proposals, which represent an integrated strategy to overcome this environmental and health challenge:
Utilitalia also underlines the need for a light and uniform European regulatory framework, capable of taking into account the technical challenges and realistic times necessary for the adjustment of the systems. The fight against the PFAS, in fact, must fit into an overall community strategy, aimed at contrasting all persistent substances.
The Utilitalia document in practice invites to build a shared path, made of precise rules, adequate financial instruments and sustainable deadlines, to ensure an effective transition that does not weigh on the shoulders of citizens, but that you really protect the environment and health of everyone.
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