Filicudi rises up: the desalination plant imposed without consulting the islanders puts Posidonia and the archaeological site at risk.

The protest of residents and associations in Filicudi, in the Aeolian archipelago, against the construction of a desalination plant that would compromise the uniqueness of the island. The location is planned in a highly valuable natural and archaeological area and has not been discussed with the residents.

"It has emerged that the Municipality of Lipari is proceeding with the construction of a desalination plant, funded by the PNRR, imposing decisions for which it has not consulted the will of the islanders – write the residents – let alone adopting the correct procedures. The technicians sent by the Municipality of Lipari have already appeared on private lands in Filicudi Porto, where the project should be realized, without the related expropriations having been initiated yet. The inhabitants of Filicudi are in favor of the desalination plant, but they request that it be built in a more suitable location. The Municipality of Lipari is acting without respecting the needs of those who live and work on the island.

So much so that according to the municipal decision, the desalination plant should be located on land designated as a beach club, refreshment point and service for the many bathers and visitors to the island who are attracted by the possibility of having comfortable services. The choice of this site could have a negative impact on the beach that children and the elderly, residents and tourists, use to enjoy the sea and sun as it is of easy access, which is not a prerogative of the other beaches of Filicudi."

"The desalination plant in Filicudi, while not large, presents – conclude the islanders - serious problems for the environment, the historical heritage and the community. We will have noise pollution from the pumps, which would compromise the livability of the neighboring homes, alteration of the marine ecosystem and of the posidonia, with the production of brine, additives and sewage discharged into the sea, which could further compromise swimming in the only easily accessible area of the island. Not to mention the impact on the underwater archaeological area of Capo Graziano. The Filicudi community is asking to consult the project documents before the start of the works, a request that has so far been repeatedly ignored by the Municipality of Lipari."

“I fully share the concerns and fears of the community regarding the desalination plant that is being planned – says Monica Blasi from the Filicudi Wildlife Conservation association - once again we are victims of decisions made at a table without any involvement in the choices or prior information to clarify the project. The brine discharges and chemical residues can cause environmental damage to marine habitats if not managed properly, and in that area one of the most important Posidonia oceanica meadows of the Aeolian Islands is preserved.