Italy fears growing problems of water shortages and wants to take action in view of the summer months. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has called a meeting of the Council of Ministers for Wednesday to discuss the problems of the ongoing drought, as announced today.
A commission of experts is evaluating a short-term intervention plan and a medium-term program to combat water scarcity, he said.
The government announced that representatives of the ministries of the environment, infrastructure, agriculture and civil protection will participate in the meeting. The aim is to improve the efficiency of the water supply system.
The Italian government is considering investments to renovate aging water networks, which should allow significant savings in water supply, Italian media reported.
Experts: Five billion for water pipes
The 425,000 kilometers of water pipes in Italy are out of date. Experts estimate that five billion euros would be needed to modernize the water network. Government experts are working to introduce measures to conserve water in agriculture.
Agriculture is the sector that uses the most water. Experts in Rome complain that the problem of modernizing the water supply system has been neglected in recent years due to lack of public investment.
Campaign also planned
The government is considering a campaign to raise public awareness of the problem of water scarcity. The TV commercials are aimed at urging Italians to save water and electricity. Due to the drought that lasts for months, water reserves have fallen compared to the average of recent decades, experts warn.
Of particular concern is the situation of the Po River, Italy’s longest river, whose level has dropped dramatically. Precipitation in recent months has been well below average.
Lake Garda just above historic low
In the Piedmont region of northern Italy, seven municipalities had to use water tanks to supply the population with drinking water, and another 70 municipalities in northern Italy issued the early warning stage.
Italy’s largest water reservoir, Lake Garda, is just inches from its historic lowest point. The level of Lake Como has also dropped dramatically. Italy fears a difficult summer with record temperatures like in 2022.