Acute water shortages in northern Italy are putting pressure on Italy’s largest region, Lombardy, and its 10 million people. The authorities there have already asked the neighboring region of Trentino for five million cubic meters of water. The water will be used for agriculture and will be taken from the Malga Bissina and Malga Boazzo reservoirs in the upper Daone valley.
According to local media reports, the deal was described as a deal made by the president of the Lombardy region, Attilio Fontana. However, the vice president of the Province of Trentino, Mario Tonina, reported that there was still no agreement on the matter. The Italian electricity grid operator Terna has the last word because the ten million cubic meters of water in the reservoirs serve as an energy reserve for the national electricity system.
“Regulations to avoid wasting water”
The Emilia Romagna region of northern Italy is also demanding 32 million euros from the government for maintenance work on canals in the Piacenza and Ferrara regions, Emilia Romagna President Stefano Bonaccini said, according to media sources. The region must receive water from a reservoir in neighboring Liguria.
“Even though there’s no dramatic rationing going on right now, there are decrees that mayors have put in place to urge citizens not to waste water,” Bonaccini said. Among other things, he referred to an ordinance by the mayor of Castenaso, near Bologna, Carlo Gubellini.
To combat shortages and limit consumption, Castenaso’s hairdressers and barbers cannot wash the same customer’s head twice.