Recently, the discussion surrounding the water quality of the Lake Garda has raised concerns, fueled by reports that present a mixed picture regarding swimmability and alleged pollution. In response, local administrators and relevant authorities have provided clarifications based on scientific evidence, outlining a situation that differs from public perception. The aim is to steer the debate back to official data to provide transparent and accurate information about the health status of the basin.
Comparing Analysis Methodologies
The main discrepancy arises from the different methodologies used for water sampling. The analyses conducted by Legambiente, which have raised concerns, involve taking samples at the mouths of certain tributary rivers. These areas are legally designated as non-swimmable zones, characterized by shallow waters that lack the necessary dilution for a proper assessment in accordance with swimmability parameters.
In contrast, institutional agencies such as ARPA Veneto, ARPA Lombardia, and APPA Trento operate according to standardized protocols regulated by Legislative Decree 116/2008 and the Ministerial Decree of March 30, 2010. These agencies conduct periodic sampling at designated points recognized as swimming areas. Specifically, for the Veneto shore, ARPAV monitors 65 points, the results of which are publicly accessible and indicate an excellent qualitative status.
The Official Health Status of the Lake
According to official scientific assessments, the health status of Lake Garda is classified as very good. Data, confirmed during recent scientific conferences such as DiMark in Peschiera, show that phosphorus levels are consistently decreasing, leading the lake towards an oligotrophic state, which is considered its original and optimal condition. Analyses conducted within the framework of long-term ecological research (LTER) by leading Italian researchers reinforce this view, positioning Lake Garda in a state of overall health superior to that of other subalpine lakes. Bacterial contaminations, such as those from Escherichia coli, are identified as localized and circumscribed issues, the resolution of which requires targeted interventions such as tracing potential leaks or illegal discharges.
Institutional Positions
On this matter, the president of the Communities of Garda, Mariastella Gelmini, stated that “misleading and alarmist news damages the international image of Garda.” She also emphasized that this does not exclude the need to “operate, monitor, and implement concrete interventions to protect the precious water resource of Lake Garda.”
The Vice President of the Community of Garda, Filippo Gavazzoni, reiterated the necessity to “bring the issue back into the right context and give credit to the scientific assessments of the relevant health authorities.” He confidently asserted that “All of the more than one hundred beaches along Lake Garda are swimmable.” According to Gavazzoni, the analyses that highlight issues, while real, are useful for identifying localized problems without representing the overall quality of the water body, whose significant dilution capacity neutralizes the impact of such incidents.
Italian Version
