Publishing date: 1 April 2026 Immagine notizia Immagine Paragrafo The presentation of the SAI – Salvaguardia Aquae Insubriae project concluded on Tuesday 31 March in Varese. The cross-border initiative is dedicated to the protection of the waters of Lakes Maggiore and Ceresio through innovative monitoring systems based on automatic and open-source technologies and the One Health approach.Massimo Sertori, Regional Councillor for Local Authorities, Mountain Areas, Energy Resources, and Water Resource Use, stated: "The SAI project represents a decisive step forward in the protection of the Insubrian lakes and in strengthening cooperation between Italy and Switzerland. The initiative, based on the One Health approach, addresses emerging contaminants such as PFAS, antibiotic resistance, and cyanobacterial toxins, and through advanced technologies and shared protocols, aims to create innovative monitoring systems and predictive risk models with the objective of protecting the environment and the health of citizens, improving prevention, safeguarding ecosystems, and ensuring the environmental and health security of cross-border communities. SAI is a model of effective collaboration, demonstrating how working together enables us to tackle the environmental challenges of our territories with greater strength."This project, which aims to revolutionise the protection of the waters of Lakes Maggiore and Ceresio, has a total budget of approximately €1 million, of which €884,065 is allocated to the Italian partners, over a duration of 30 months. Immagine Marco Magrini, President of the Province of Varese, explained: "For the Province of Varese, the lakes are not merely a matter of identity, but a strategic asset: tourism, the economy, and above all public health. Water quality has a direct impact on the lives of citizens, in terms of bathing safety, security, and wellbeing. Projects such as SAI give concrete form to a vision that brings together environmental protection, scientific innovation, and territorial development."Salvatore Gioia, Director General of ATS Insubria, commented: "The SAI project represents a fundamental step forward in the protection of our lakes, combining advanced technologies with automatic monitoring systems and a shared approach based on the One Health logic. We are thus significantly strengthening our capacity to prevent health and environmental risks. SAI is a concrete investment in community safety, ecosystem quality, and a more modern and integrated management of water resources. I hope that for the partners it may also represent a meaningful opportunity for growth, enabling them to bring together cross-cutting and interdisciplinary competencies, thereby enhancing teamwork and professional development."Umberto Piarulli, Acting Pro-Rector of the University of Insubria, stated: "The University's involvement in the SAI project confirms its strong commitment to participating in Interreg calls over the past two years. Our researchers are engaged in numerous joint Italy-Switzerland initiatives and projects through public and private partnerships, with the aim of generating knowledge and new opportunities for development and employment in this cross-border territory."In this context, Flavia Marinelli, Director of the Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences at the University of Insubria, a partner in the SAI project, underscored the fundamental role of such multidisciplinary collaborations in safeguarding the territory through the One Health approach, which considers human, animal, plant, and environmental health from an integrated and global perspective.The Swiss lead partner SUPSI – Scuola Universitaria Professionale della Svizzera Italiana highlighted the value of scientific cooperation between the two countries. As emphasised by Massimiliano Cannata, Head of Research at DACD-SUPSI, complementary competencies foster concrete, results-oriented collaboration. In this perspective, the SAI project is built on an interdisciplinary approach, with the One Health paradigm as its reference framework for addressing the relationships between environment, health, and territory.The theme of cooperation was also taken up by the DSS Ticino – Dipartimento della Sanità e della Socialità of the Canton of Ticino, which stressed the importance of shared monitoring methods and emergency response protocols amongst Authorities. This makes it possible to address potential risk situations in a coordinated manner, strengthening the effectiveness of actions to protect public health.In keeping with this vision, IZSLER – Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Lombardia-Emilia Romagna emphasised the role of environmental and veterinary controls: "From a One Health perspective, the information obtained through veterinary and environmental controls is essential to ensure comprehensive monitoring of the health status of the various fish species sampled, including the possible circulation of zoonotic agents and potential environmental contamination from chemical agents and antibiotics. IZSLER will bring its expertise in animal health and public health to the project, carrying out analyses on fish and researching environmental contaminants and antibiotics in water."The introduction to the Interreg Projects was provided by Alfonso Grisolia of the Joint Secretariat of the Interreg Italy-Switzerland Programme.The meeting was attended by Italian and Swiss partners and was scientifically coordinated by Marco Farioli of ATS Insubria, who underscored the importance of shared governance capable of responding promptly to the environmental and health challenges of the territory. The SUPSI presentation was delivered by Federica Mauri, Head of Hygiene and Environment at the Institute of Microbiology, and Vasco Medici, Head of Energy Systems at the Institute of Applied Sustainability to the Built Environment. Giovanni Sala, Head of the Binago Section of IZSLER, represented his organisation during the expert contributions, whilst the University of Insubria was represented by Flavia Marinelli, Director of the Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences. Nicola Forrer, Director of the Cantonal Laboratory, provided in-depth insights on behalf of his organisation.