Southern Italy is particularly affected by prolonged droughts. And poor infrastructure management, a now endemic scourge, plays a large part in the gravity of the current situation.
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From our correspondent in Rome,
In Italythe alert Red weather warning has been triggered in several regions due to heat wave. The latter will not give any respite in the coming weeks. Sicily, with its five million inhabitants and its many agricultural businesses, is the most affected by a severe drought that has lasted for 18 months, due to very low rainfall.
Arable land is degrading into desert. The entire citrus industry is threatened with extinction. The grape harvest had to begin in July. And cattle and goat farmers are no longer able to feed their animals properly due to a lack of fodder and sufficient water.
As for the population, it is subject to drastic rationing drinking water in about a hundred municipalities, including Agrigento and Palermo. This is despite temperatures exceeding 40°C and the heat being even more stifling, due to a humidity level of over 70%.
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A crisis of blue gold
Sicily is sadly illustrated by the waste of public fundsalso with regard to water. More than 55% of the water supplying the water networks is lost due to its disastrous management and the lack of maintenance of all the infrastructures.
Over the past 17 years, successive governors of the region have had 3.5 billion euros at their disposal to solve chronic problems, such as dams and pipelines. But the money has evaporated, long before reaching the water. Considering that 50% of the networks are over 50 years old and the national average for loss of water for domestic use is 42%.
The Ministry of Infrastructure has allocated 900 million euros to address emergencies. But to prevent the collapse of the entire water system, 176 billion euros would be needed. So we are far from the mark.
Read alsoHow Italy must adapt its water management to extreme weather events