You Might Think These People Are Crazy For Swimming In Venice's Flooded Streets Once You See How Their Sewer System Works (2024)

FAQs

How does the sewage system work in Venice? ›

Most of Venice's sewage goes directly into the city's canals. Flush a toilet, and someone crossing a bridge or cruising up a side canal by gondola may notice a small swoosh of water emerging from an opening in a brick wall.

Can you swim in the Venice Canals? Swimming in the Venice Canals is prohibited. The canals are primarily residential areas, and the water quality is not suitable for swimming. Additionally, the canals are relatively narrow, and swimming could disrupt the peaceful atmosphere and potentially pose safety concerns.

As Venice sinks, it becomes more exposed to tides and storms from the Adriatic. This, combined with sea level rise, has made flooding more frequent and more severe. Venice's average sea level is around 32cm higher now than it was when official records began in 1872.

All Italian cities and towns have proper sewage and treatment, no matter how old they are.

Nowadays, over 7,000 septic tanks collect the city's sewage. Septic tanks allow for sewage treatment so that liquid waste will not pollute the water when reaching a canal.

Venice solved the problem most ingeniously—with a tidal floodgate system called MOSE. Its steel gates float up as they are filled with air, sealing off the city from a rising tide. No one, not even the Dutch—legendary for fighting back the sea—has a system like MOSE.

In conclusion, drinking tap water in Venice is generally safe and meets high-quality standards. The city's water supply system, sourced from the Venetian Lagoon, undergoes comprehensive treatment processes to ensure its safety.

There are two main reasons why swimming in the canals is a bad idea. For one, it's dangerous because of all the gondolas and motorboats. In addition, it's unsanitary because they're contaminated by household and industrial wastewater.

Venice is widely known as the “Floating City”, as its buildings seem to be rising straight from the water. The city was constructed on a swampy area, made up of over a hundred small islands and marshlands in between. When Venice was first erected, residents chose not to build any property directly on land.

It's long been known that Venice suffers from subsidence. Built on a muddy lagoon with inadequate foundations, the ground beneath it has slowly compacted over time. This, combined with the groundwater being pumped out from under the city and a gradual rise in sea levels, has resulted in the city very slowly sinking.

Is Venice flooding or drying? ›

Some of Venice's secondary canals have practically dried up lately due a prolonged spell of low tides linked to a lingering high-pressure weather system. Gondolas are docked along a canal during a low tide in Venice, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2023.

There are two things you might not find in a public bathroom or in a café. First, always carry some toilet paper. They sell small packets of paper individually wrapped that you should keep with you at all times. A package of tissues can be a great alternative.

France and Italy are an exception and have some squat toilets remaining in old buildings and public toilets because they used to be the norm there in the early 20th century. In BMW Welt in Munich, the public restrooms have some stalls with squat toilets.

The bidet is designed to promote personal hygiene and is used after defecation, and before and after sexual intercourse. It can also be used to wash feet, with or without filling it up with water. In several European countries, a bidet is now required by law to be present in every bathroom containing a toilet bowl.

This means that the canals and waterways are cleaned on a regular basis, picking up litter and other waste that has found its way into the water. Venice makes a lot of money from its enchanting beauty, so the local government goes to a lot of effort to keep the canals clear of litter.

There is a modern system that uses septic tanks to treat water before draining into the canals. The International Water Association says there are more than 6,000 septic tanks in Venice, but many people still rely on the old sewage system.

Building the city

To largen the marsh islands they were taking refuge on, they began to dig canals and used wooden planks to shore the banks. They used a similar wooden plant technique to create foundations for their buildings.

Yet, only a fraction of the drinking water of Venice comes from the springs of the river Sile. The rest is provided by groundwater wells (300 meter deep), which are also located in the Province of Treviso, a few kilometers away from Venice.