It's safe, free and readily available. We're talking about tap water, a precious resource that each of us has at home. But are Italians – the third-largest consumers of bottled water in the world – aware of its value? Or do they fear it isn't safe enough? Some recent data offer interesting food for thought.

For half of Italians, tap water is a habit

In 2019, 77.6 per cent of Italians drank tap water, treated and untreated, with a growth rate on the previous year of close to 4 per cent. This is according to research carried out by Open mind research on behalf of Aqua Italia, the association of manufacturers of systems, accessories, components and chemical products for primary water treatment, which is part of Anima Confindustria.

But there's more. Roughly one in two Italians (48.7 per cent, to be precise) says they drink it always or almost always, primarily for reasons of convenience (25 per cent) and concern for the environment (24.8 per cent). The latter argument resonates especially with younger people, driven by the so-called "Greta effect". Data from the pandemic period have yet to be processed, but all indications suggest that many more people were won over by the practicality of tap water, to avoid unnecessary trips out and queues outside supermarkets.

A framework of laws and controls to protect our health

It should be noted, however, that 26.8 per cent of Italians describe themselves as "extremely concerned" about the presence of contaminants in public water, and a further 62.6 per cent say they are "fairly concerned". But is there really cause for alarm? According to the Water Research Institute of the National Research Council (Irsa-Cnr), Italy ranks fifth in Europe for the quality of its public water, just behind Austria, Sweden, Ireland and Hungary. First and foremost because 85 per cent of it comes from groundwater, which already makes it better than surface water. And also because the legal limits are very strict and thorough checks are carried out throughout the entire supply chain. The fake news claiming that public water could be a potential vehicle for Covid-19, which circulated in the very early stages of the health emergency, was promptly debunked by the Istituto superiore di sanità.

PE Italia @PE_Italia

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🚰Il Parlamento europeo ha approvato martedì la nuova direttiva sull'acqua potabile
Per la prima volta viene dato seguito a un'iniziativa dei cittadini
💧accesso all'acqua di alta qualità
💧minor consumo di bottiglie
💧soglie più severe per contaminanti
europarl.europa.eu/.../migliorare…...

♥ 15💬 1 19 dic 2020 · Apri su X →

Twenty years after the first directive on drinking water, transposed into Italian law by legislative decree 31/2001, a new one (EU 2020/2184) came into force in January 2021, making standards even more restrictive for certain pollutants, such as lead, and introducing new ones, such as bisphenol A, Pfas, chlorate and chlorite. Member states will have two years to transpose these changes. Another cornerstone of this directive is transparency: citizens of the Union have the right to access data on the quality of the water supplied, free of charge and without any complications. Italy is at the forefront on this front too, thanks to a number of tools that allow users to enter their home address and view up-to-date analyses; one such tool exists, for example, for the city of Milan.

Simple systems for even better tap water

Now that there is nothing to fear from tap water, there are still those who do not enjoy its taste or wish to improve its properties. This is where filtration systems such as Grohe Blue come into play, easy to install thanks to its compact dimensions and the two-in-one tap that fits any sink.

Given that the characteristics of water can vary considerably even within the same municipality, each person can choose the technology best suited to their specific needs. The five-stage filter improves the odour and taste of water, reducing limescale and fixed residue; the activated carbon filter, on the other hand, refines the taste without affecting limescale (making it ideal when the water is already low in hardness). Then there is the Magnesium + Zinc filter which, in addition to the benefits of the five-stage filter, enriches the water with magnesium and zinc, to the benefit of both taste and health.

According to the Aqua Italia survey, 28 out of every 100 Italians have adopted at least one home water refinement system, and as many as 51 out of 100 have no objection to the idea of drinking treated water at a bar or restaurant. A sign of a shift in attitudes that is good for the environment and for the wallet.