Across the 21 municipalities making up the province of Syracuse, the water system suffers from an average leakage rate exceeding 60%, peaking at over 65% in certain urban centers and the provincial capital, with an overall calculated figure of 65.7% for the entire area. The provincial network spans approximately 2,500 kilometers and is in a critical state of repair: 44% of distribution pipelines date back to before 1970, utilizing materials such as concrete, asbestos, and grey cast iron, while about 150 km of piping are prioritized for replacement due to high breakage rates.
The water system is divided into territorial subsystems supported by 83 main balancing reservoirs, as listed in Table 16 of the Plan. Assessments indicate that 30% of these structures suffer from seepage or structural damage that limits their actual capacity. In the Southern subsystem (Pachino and Portopalo), approximately 13,000 connections lack meters; this prevents accurate flow measurement and necessitates supply rationing, limiting service to just 2–6 hours a day during periods of peak demand. In vast areas of Syracuse and Augusta, delivery pressures below 0.5 bar result in intermittent service for upper floors and locations at the end of the network during morning and afternoon consumption peaks.
The current management landscape is fragmented across several different entities, including municipal departments, private companies, and mixed-management operations. This fragmentation has historically prevented cohesive industrial planning.
Discover the situation in other Sicilian provinces here.
