Episode #322: Venice - Travel Smarter and Make a Difference

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Wondering how Venice, a city surrounded by water, manages its drinking supply and tackles the plastic bottle crisis? Discover the Venice Tap Water Project, a local effort to use Venice's existing water resources, encouraging visitors to make their trips more sustainable.

Contents

Summary

In this episode, host Katy Clarke is joined by Marco Capovilla, a lifelong Venetian and sustainability advocate, to explore Venice’s complex relationship with water – a city surrounded by it, yet historically lacking safe drinking sources. They uncover how Venetians ingeniously sourced fresh water over centuries and dive into the Venice Tap Water Project, an initiative encouraging visitors to reduce plastic use by refilling at public fountains. Along the way, they discuss the environmental impact of bottled water, common barriers to change, and how simple choices can help preserve Venice for future generations.

What you'll learn in this episode

Venice is a city defined by water, yet it historically lacked safe drinking sources, leading to ingenious solutions like rainwater collection systems, sand-filtered wells, and eventually aqueducts – a reflection of the city’s resourcefulness and unique relationship with its environment
Despite high-quality tap water and around 250 public fountains (though admittedly not all are always well-maintained) across the city, Venice faces a major plastic problem driven by Italy’s strong bottled water culture, tourism habits, and the widespread perception of bottled water as safer or more desirable
The environmental impact of bottled water in Venice is significant, from the daily transport of huge volumes of plastic bottles into the city to pollution, strain on waste systems, and the visual impact on one of the world’s most fragile and iconic destinations
The Venice Tap Water Project was created to tackle this issue through simple, accessible change – mapping fountains, sharing information, and encouraging both locals and visitors to refill rather than buy plastic, proving that small actions can scale into meaningful impact
Travelers can play a direct role by choosing tap water, using public fountains, asking for tap water in restaurants, and avoiding single-use items like takeaway coffee cups – small shifts that not only reduce waste but also help you engage more authentically with local Venetian life
Locate the city's drinking fountains on the Venice Tap Water Map

Timeline Overview

05:45 Navigating Venice by vaporetto and how the city’s unique layout shapes everyday movement and visitor experience
09:23 Venice’s historic water system and how it once sustained the city, offering context for today’s drinking water challenges
11:58 The 2019 turning point that sparked the Venice Tap Water project, highlighting the push to rethink water consumption
15:10 The widespread reliance on plastic water bottles in Italy and the environmental impact, particularly in high-traffic destinations like Venice
35:51 How visitors can access free tap water in Italy, with practical insights for reducing plastic use while traveling

About our guest – Marco Capovilla from Venice Tap Water

Marco Capovilla is a Venetian born and raised in the city he is deeply committed to protecting. With a background in economics and natural sciences, he combines environmental awareness with a practical understanding of how everyday habits impact wider ecosystems. His knowledge of biodiversity and passion for Africa, where he has lived and traveled extensively, further shape his perspective.

In 2018, he launched Venezia Pulita, initially to promote Venice’s “ecomobile” waste service, before expanding into a broader sustainability platform offering practical guidance for residents and accommodation owners. In 2019, he developed a simple idea with wide impact: encouraging people to drink tap water to reduce plastic use.

This became Venice Tap Water, a project focused on raising awareness about the city’s high-quality public water network. By mapping fountains and challenging misconceptions, Marco promotes a simple shift in behavior – showing how small, everyday actions can collectively help protect Venice.

Follow Venice Tap Water here

Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned

Places

Santa Croce – one of the six historic districts (sestieri) of Venice, known for its quieter atmosphere and local character
San Polo – another central sestiere of Venice, featuring lively markets, squares, and the famed Campo San Polo
Campo San Polo – one of the largest squares in Venice, notable for its rare green spaces and community events
Grand Canal – the main waterway running through Venice, lined with palaces and traversed by vaporetti (water buses)
San Marco Square (Piazza San Marco) – Venice’s most famous piazza, home to St. Mark’s Basilica and a hub of city life
Brenta River – river near Venice, significant in local history as a site of early settlements

Words / Concepts

Marin Sanudo – Venetian historian and diarist
San Pellegrino – well-known Italian bottled water brand promoted for its “health” and status
Venice Tap Water Project – an initiative created to inform visitors about the availability and quality of public drinking fountains in Venice, encouraging the use of tap water over plastic bottled water to reduce waste and pollution
Aquaroli – people who historically transported sweet (drinking) water into Venice by rowing or sailing boats before the construction of aqueducts
Venice City Council – the local government responsible for public works, such as the maintenance and improvement of public fountains and waste management services

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Podcast episodes

Episode #322: Venice – Travel Smarter and Make a Difference