Desalination plant in Filicudi, protests continue, Italia Nostra demands clarifications

Filicudi: Protests and controversies continue regarding the choice of the location for the construction of the desalination plant in Filicudi, with the Italia Nostra association also intervening through its Eolian Islands section.

A formal request for clarification and further information on the desalination project has been sent to the mayor of the Municipality of Lipari, Riccardo Gullo, by the president of the local section, Angelo Sidoti.

In the note addressed to the municipal administration, the association expresses some concerns regarding the construction of the desalination plant planned for the island and requests greater transparency regarding the project documents and the environmental and landscape impacts of the work.

According to the note: "The intervention appears to have already been approved and equipped with environmental authorization, with work set to begin soon, financed through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan."

Italia Nostra deems it necessary to conduct a further technical review in light of some critical issues reported by its territorial sections.

Among the highlighted points is the protection of the archaeological area of Filicudi and the underwater heritage of the bay of Capo Graziano.

The area identified for the plant, the association emphasizes, would be located in the immediate vicinity of a context of significant scientific interest, characterized by the presence of underwater archaeological sites and deposits.

A second aspect concerns the possible environmental impacts related to the discharge of brine into the sea resulting from the desalination process. Italia Nostra requests further checks on the effects that such discharges could have on the marine ecosystems of the bay, particularly on Posidonia oceanica.

The association also draws attention to the landscape and social repercussions of the work. The coastal stretch in question is indeed one of the few easily accessible areas of the island and is used by residents and visitors.

For this reason, the note highlights the need to further investigate the aspects related to noise emissions.