Educational Needs for the Operation of Complex Water Systems

Abstract

In recent years the agency for the development of South Italy, Cassa per il Mezzogiorno, and the Regional Government of Sicily have constructed a large number of public works related to resources development and utilization. Huge investments have been made to construct various sets of public works for municipal, agricultural and industrial water supplies, as well as some tens of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants. Numerous agencies share the responsibilility for operating these facilities, but their operation does not allow for coordination in decision making, whether from a technical or economic point of view. The decision-making process is difficult and requires the simultaneous availability of competent operators in many fields such as economics, sociology, law, and technology. The decision making is even more difficult since there are no data collecting and control systems.