Milano Città d’Acqua, a current debate related to the history of waterworks

Despite settling on a water layer that naturally supplies its inhabitants and crops, Milan has dedicated tireless efforts to establish a network of hydraulic infrastructures as a connection with other cities. A continuous work of engineering planning allowed it to build, throughout its history, an extensive system of navigable channels that would bridge the distance that takes it away from the nearest rivers. A great technical effort for which it was called by many the Città dell'acqua. Paradoxically, the idea of ​​dispensing with these anthropogenic waters arose as a result of one of his first urban plans, at the end of the 19th century. This article characterizes the city through a chronological journey, focusing on the hydrography of the region and its main medieval and modern hydraulic works, the so-called navigli. Next, the urban circumstances and arguments that, after industrialization, led politicians, urban planners and engineers to bury these infrastructures are exposed; coinciding with the development of modern health technologies and the rise of road traffic compared to navigability. Finally, the contribution analyzes the current proposal of the municipal government to recover the old canalizations. For this, the objectives of the project are reviewed and discussed on an urban and metropolitan scale, along with the rest of the problems present in this great city in Northern Italy. coinciding with the development of modern health technologies and the rise of road traffic compared to navigability. Finally, the contribution analyzes the current proposal of the municipal government to recover the old canalizations. For this, the objectives of the project are reviewed and discussed on an urban and metropolitan scale, along with the rest of the problems present in this great city in Northern Italy. coinciding with the development of modern health technologies and the rise of road traffic compared to navigability. Finally, the contribution analyzes the current proposal of the municipal government to recover the old canalizations. For this, the objectives of the project are reviewed and discussed on an urban and metropolitan scale, along with the rest of the problems present in this great city in Northern Italy