A TUNNEL-RESERVOIR TO QUENCH THE GREAT THIRST OF THE ISLE OF ELBA

The insularity and in many ways much appreciated characteristics of the environment have always posed serious obstacles to solving the problem of drinking water supplies on the Isle of Elba. To collect the surface waters of the rainiest area and conserve them in the cool and dark with a tunnel excavated entirely through rock means having large volumes of the valuable liquid to meet the whole water requirement of the island directly by gravity and with excellent fresh drinking waters freeing it of its current dependence on precarious supplies from Val di Cornia on the mainland and, since the tunnel runs entirely underground, without causing any damage to the environment.
This is the main result that the works described in this article are capable of providing. Other benefits, listed in detail, of minor importance but not to be overlooked, range from the curbing rivers in flood to alleviate damage caused by foods to the availability of huge quantities of aggregates for the building industry which makes an important contribution to the economy of the island and helps lower the cost of the works.

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