Lake Como, Italy. Photo: Nimrod Lotem The Italian government is operating a national coordination system to deal with extreme drought conditions and falling water levels, amid a prolonged heat wave and drought affecting large areas of the country.
The Italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security announced the activation of an emergency system designed to strengthen coordination between government ministries, drainage basin authorities, and water infrastructure managers, with the aim of maintaining water supplies for agriculture and domestic consumption.
Environment Minister Gilberto Piccolo Frattin emphasized that the abnormal temperatures are not a one-off event, but part of a climate change trend that requires the country to move from managing isolated crises to long-term preparedness.
As part of the immediate steps, it was decided to increase monitoring of the large reservoirs and main rivers, some of which are at extremely low levels, as well as to formulate guidelines for reducing water waste in the industrial and urban sectors.
The agricultural sector is also warning of the consequences. Coldiretti, Italy's largest farmers' association, warned of damage to agricultural areas and crops and called for accelerated investment in restoring water infrastructure, replacing pipes, and building new water reservoirs. The association warns that without infrastructure investments, rainwater storage in the coming periods will not be enough to cope with damage to the agricultural sector and the food supply.
The water shortage is also expected to affect the daily lives of tourists visiting Italy. In particularly affected areas, hotels may restrict water use during certain hours and ask guests to shorten their showers and change towels less frequently.
At the same time, local authorities may impose fines for actions considered to be a waste of water in public spaces. This includes, among other things, washing vehicles with a hose or using public water facilities to wash equipment.
Historic fountains in major cities are also under restrictions. Entering fountains or using them to cool off is prohibited, and violations of local guidelines can lead to fines.
Various municipalities are even reducing the activity of public fountains that do not operate in a closed water system. At the same time, the decline in the levels of major rivers, including the Po River, and lakes across the country could lead to the temporary cancellation of boat tours and restrictions on outdoor water activities in some areas.