Public water: a partnership between service providers, citizens and industry to protect it
The appeal comes from BrianzAcque, which has renewed its agreement for the distribution of locally sourced water again this year
An immediate alliance between service providers, the industrial sector and citizens is needed to safeguard water resources. Because ‘by 2030, there is a risk that global demand will exceed supply by 40 per cent’. The appeal comes from Enrico Boerci, Chairman and Chief Executive of BrianzAcque, a 100 per cent publicly owned company which has been managing the integrated water service in the region on an industrial scale for over 20 years and which, once again this year, on the occasion of the Italian Formula 1 Grand Prix, is renewing the partnership launched in 2022 with the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, with the aim of reducing the use of single-use plastic and encouraging the consumption of tap water.
Over 78,000 litres of water
Against this backdrop, in 2025 over 40 dispensing points were set up, distributing 78,284 litres of locally sourced water free of charge – equivalent to around 156,000 half-litre bottles saved. “This result,” the company emphasises, “confirms the public’s growing interest in sustainable and accessible solutions. For 2026, the initiative will be further expanded with an increase in the number of distribution points, making the availability of public water within the racetrack even more widespread.”
Facilitating access to mains water
The aim is to make it easier for fans, teams and staff to access mains water, thereby further reducing the event’s environmental impact and consolidating the sustainable management model already in place.
Seven manufacturing sectors under scrutiny
This follows a study by experts at BrianzAcque, who have identified the ‘seven industrial sectors that consume the most water globally’ and suggested a way forward to use the resource more efficiently and reverse the trend. It begins with agriculture, considered the ‘main user of fresh water globally’. According to the experts, all is not lost, because ‘precision irrigation, sensors and satellite data make it possible to distribute water where and when it is needed’. Then there is the energy sector, with thermal and nuclear power stations, which ‘use water primarily for cooling. Recirculation systems, heat recovery and more wind and solar power can reduce water withdrawals and the impact on ecosystems.”
Data centres and semiconductors
Equally important is the case of data centres and semiconductors. “The cloud and artificial intelligence are driving up cooling requirements: a data centre can use 1.1 million litres a day,” they point out, “whilst large facilities reach much higher volumes. Chip production also requires ultrapure water. Efficient cooling, non-potable water sources and water recovery systems are the most effective solutions.” Not to mention the textile and fashion sector: “It takes over 10,000 litres of water to make a pair of jeans,” they point out. “Water-efficient dyeing processes, water recycling and more sustainable fibres are transforming the sector.” The food and drink sector is following a similar path. And then there is the mining and metals sector: “Extraction, mineral separation, dust control, cleaning and cooling all require significant volumes,” the experts continue. “Treatment technologies, closed-loop basins and the recovery of industrial wastewater can help limit consumption.”
