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Wastewater and treatment: in Calabria, a proposal to move beyond emergency management
The management of urban wastewater is once again at the center of the debate in Calabria, with a regional bill focused on upgrading wastewater treatment plants and promoting the reuse of treated wastewater.
The initiative, presented by Regional Councilor Enzo Bruno, aims to change the model of wastewater treatment management, addressing water emergency, climate crisis, European infringement procedures and structural inefficiencies in the regional system. The bill introduces an organic regulatory framework designed to transform wastewater treatment from simple discharge management into a strategic infrastructure for the recovery of water resources.
Reuse as a response to the water crisis
At the heart of the proposal is the reuse of treated wastewater for agricultural, civil, industrial and environmental uses. This choice responds to an increasingly urgent need: to reduce waste, limit withdrawals from aquifers and watercourses, support productive activities and make territories more resilient to the effects of climate change.
The measure also introduces the principle of separating black water, greywater and stormwater in new buildings and new urban developments. This is an important step toward improving the efficiency of the sewerage system and reducing the load on treatment plants.
Treatment plants as “green factories”
One of the most significant elements of the proposal is the idea of transforming wastewater treatment plants into true “green factories”: infrastructures capable not only of treating wastewater, but also of recovering nutrients, producing energy from renewable sources and reducing the overall environmental impact of the water cycle.
This perspective makes it possible to view wastewater treatment no longer as a cost or as a critical issue to be managed in emergency mode, but as a strategic function for the territory. Recovering water, energy and materials means strengthening water security, supporting agriculture, protecting the sea and building a more modern approach to infrastructure management.
Planning and territories
The bill provides for a three-year regional program for the reuse of wastewater, involving the Calabria Water Authority, Arpacal, the local health authorities and the municipalities. It also includes polishing systems, dual networks and storage tanks, in order to make treated wastewater concretely usable for agricultural irrigation, public green areas, industrial uses and firefighting.
Particular attention is also given to inland and mountain areas, where phytodepuration and natural treatment systems can represent more sustainable solutions suited to small towns and scattered settlements.
Wastewater treatment, reuse and water resilience: key themes at Accadueo
The Calabrian proposal is part of a national and European context in which wastewater treatment, wastewater reuse and efficient water resource management are becoming increasingly central. It is not only a matter of upgrading plants or responding to environmental criticalities, but of rethinking the water cycle in a more sustainable, integrated and resilient way.
These themes also find space at Accadueo, the reference event for the civil and industrial water sector supply chain, where dialogue among institutions, utilities, companies and professionals focuses on water treatment, wastewater treatment, reuse, sewerage and stormwater management, digitalization and leakage reduction.
The next edition, scheduled for 26 and 27 November 2026 at Nuova Fiera del Levante in Bari, will provide an opportunity for the sector to discuss the main challenges related to efficiency, innovation and the resilience of water infrastructure.
Sources
https://www.catanzaroinforma.it/politica/2026/05/15/gestione-acque-reflue-urbane-e-impianti-di-depurazione-la-proposta-del-consigliere-regionale-bruno/413124/
https://www.corrieredellacalabria.it/2026/05/15/depurazione-e-gestione-sostenibile-delle-acque-reflue-urbane-ecco-una-nuova-proposta-di-legge/
