Water consumption and waste water disposal from our activities has not had a significant environmental impact, in terms of either the quantities or the types of discharges.
During 2009, the Company used about 4 million cubic metres of seawater and 0.79 million cubic metres of fresh water.
Seawater is used to cool the auxiliary installations at the LNG regasification plant, and the fresh water is used mainly for office activities, fire fighting and irrigating green areas.
During 2009, transportation and regasification activities consumed about 450,000 cubic metres of freshwater (+31% compared to 2008). This increase can be attributed to a greater use of both well water to irrigate green areas and waterworks water for office activities.
With regard to waste water discharges, the sea water used for cooling is returned to the sea untreated, while the fresh waste water is gathered in the sewer networks (97% of the total) or is treated and discharged into the soil or surface water bodies (3% of the total).
To limit the discharge of domestic waste water from the gas compressor stations, the Company continues to develop closed-cycle reed bed purification plants, which eliminate this type of discharge, because the waste water is treated and entirely absorbed by the planted vegetation, after solid sediment is separated out. During 2009, these installations were developed in the compressor stations of Enna and Terranuova Bracciolini.
FRESH WATER SUPPLIED (%)
FRESH WATER SUPPLIED ( 103 m3)
