Roma – Management of the Sarno Basin's hydrographic network continues to suffer from structural delays and a chronic lack of routine maintenance. This was highlighted by Claudia Pecoraro, Campania's regional councilor for the environment, speaking at a hearing before the parliamentary commission of inquiry into hydrogeological and seismic risk in Italy.
Among the most obvious examples cited by the councilor is that of the Rio Sguazzatoio, a tributary of the Sarno River, where maintenance work has been practically at a standstill for years.
«On the Sarno – explained Pecoraro – we are suffering from an atavistic lack of ordinary maintenance.
I'm thinking specifically of the Rio Sguazzatoio, which in 2021 was affected by an intervention by the Campania Region for dredging, clearing and cleaning."
An extraordinary operation made necessary by the inertia of the competent authorities: these activities fell within the remit of the land reclamation consortium, which however had not carried them out.
After that intervention, however, the situation hasn't changed. "From 2021 to today," the councilor emphasized, "virtually no routine maintenance has been repeated along the Rio Sguazzatoio."
Dredging of the Sarno and the railway pylons issue
Critical issues also concern the Sarno dredging program, an operation considered essential to improve the river's flow capacity and reduce the risk of flooding.
According to Pecoraro, there is currently a clear mismatch with the planned timeline for the works. Further complicating the situation is the presence of railway infrastructure in the riverbed.
In fact, the section affected by the dredging is dominated by the pylons of two RFI lines, which severely limit the depth of the operations.
"We are initiating specific discussions with RFI," the councilor explained, "to find solutions that will allow the relocation of these pylons. Currently, compared to the planned meters, we risk only being able to dredge the river by 30 or 40 centimeters."
According to the Region, this depth is insufficient to achieve significant results in terms of hydraulic safety.
The problem of soil waterproofing
Alongside watercourse maintenance, the Region identifies another key factor in increasing hydrogeological risk: land use and the excessive urbanization of river areas.
"We have a serious problem in the area related to the complete waterproofing of the soil carried out by local administrations," Pecoraro declared.
This phenomenon particularly affects the municipalities along the Sarno River. The councilor cited the case of San Marzano sul Sarno, where in some areas homes have been built right up to the banks.
"There are houses," he explained, "whose perimeter walls actually coincide with the river's retaining walls."
The consequence is direct: during heavy rainfall, water is no longer able to infiltrate the ground and is rapidly channeled into the watercourse, increasing the risk of flash floods, inundations and overflows.
Comparison with other cities and awareness of the risk
In her speech, the councilor also drew comparisons with other Italian cities crossed by major rivers, such as Florence or Verona, where the relationship between the urban center and the waterway is historically consolidated but accompanied by a greater awareness of the risks.
"In those contexts," Pecoraro observed, "when floods occur, citizens are clearly aware of the fragility of the area, just as mayors are fully aware of the critical issues."
An awareness that, according to the Region, must also be strengthened in the territories of the Sarno basin.
The proposal: a permanent roundtable with the mayors
To address the critical issues facing the region, the Campania Region is now aiming to strengthen institutional coordination with the affected municipalities.
"There is a need for stronger interinstitutional dialogue," Pecoraro stated, announcing the start of direct contacts with the mayors of the areas crossed by the river.
Among them was the mayor of Sarno, with whom the councilor anticipated a future meeting.
The goal is to create a permanent monitoring committee, involving local governments and the Region, to continuously analyze the conditions of hydrogeological fragility and plan the necessary interventions.
The Region, the councilor concluded, is aware of the strategic importance of the Sarno River for the Campania region, so much so that it has already established an office dedicated to managing issues related to the river basin.
It seems to me that the Sarno River's situation is increasingly critical. Routine maintenance hasn't been done since 2021; the land reclamation consortia have either failed to do the work or not at all. The railway pylons are blocking dredging, and the soil sealing is causing water to flow quickly. A discussion with the mayors is needed, but the process is too slow and responsibilities are unclear.