L'acqua

Water has been an important resource throughout history. Humans can’t live without it, as I fear we are in the process of discovering in the American southwest. Romans resolved their water issues through the building of aqueducts, an engineering marvel and benchmark of civilization. Modern Italy prides itself on its water. American tourists are sometimes amazed by the discovery that you can’t get tap water at a restaurant. But, unlike in some parts of the world, that is by choice rather than necessity. In fact, fresh water fountains are a feature of Roman life. Water fountains pepper the street sides and you may assume that any running water fountain in Italy is drinkable unless it is specifically marked otherwise.

Enter the European Union. Many Americans are aware of only the monetary union, as the woes of the economy and the limitations of a single currency shared by many sovereign nations is currently at the front of the news. However, the EU is deeper than this. The treaties and agreements also regulate commerce and trade, protecting regional and national interests by such things as setting quotas on fishing and regulating such things as the importation of garlic, no less. In this way, the EU is responsible for much of the environmental regulation that takes place in Europe, from the controversial carbon tax on airplanes flying to or from Europe to setting water quality standards.

Ironically, it is in this last area where our region of Italy has generated a huge conflict and crisis. The geology of the region around Viterbo is dominated by volcanoes. Testing over the last few decades has revealed a somewhat high concentration of arsenic in the water supply. This is a naturally occurring phenomenon as the arsenic is leaching from the volcanic rock, though in greater concentrations than in other geologically similar regions. Although it is impossible to say what the cumulative effects might be, it should be noted that inhabitants of this region have been drinking this exact same water for 2500+ years. However, for better or worse, the arsenic levels exceed those allowed by EU treaty in all but literally 3 municipal wells in the area. For years the Italian government has been ignoring the issue, but it has now bubbled to the top as the EU is fining Italy SERIOUS euros for failing to provide quality water. Arsenic is tough to get out of the water supply. It isn’t an organic solid that can be filtered or a microorganism that can be chemically quashed. It is going to take a massive investment in infrastructure to bring the water quality into line and the Italian government is resisting big time.

The initial response by the mayor of Viterbo is reminiscent of how he deals with snow, where with flakes in the air and a quarter inch on the ground he calls off school for 2-3 days. He hysterically issued warnings against drinking anything that comes out of the taps, ordered fountains turned off, etc., as if this was a sudden occurrence that people needed to guard against. Things have gone back a little towards normal. For instance, he has acknowledged that you can use the water for brushing teeth and bathing without any potential risk. The water to the fountains has been restored, but with new temporary signs warning that the water is not drinkable. One convenient result is that the mensa where we eat lunch no longer has the soda machine at the back and now passes out bottled water for meals.

How are we responding? As for Amy, she has always drunk bottled water in our house because she likes Aqua di Nepi, the naturally-carbonated mineral water from our region. The wells for Aqua di Nepi, by the way, have been cleared of any arsenic issues. I figure I will eventually die from something and doubt it will be arsenic poisoning, so I just keep on doing exactly what I always did. Drink the water.