Water levels in the River Po at Cremona fell to -8.59 metres, breaking the previous record set in 2022. More than 100 municipalities in Piedmont and Lombardy face critical drinking water shortages.
The River Po at Cremona has fallen to its lowest level on record, as dwindling water levels driven by drought and a series of intense heatwaves push northern Italy’s water crisis to a new extreme.
The water level at the monitoring station beneath Cremona’s iron bridge, on the highway connecting Milan to the province of Piacenza, stood at 8.59 metres below zero on the gauge on Thursday evening, breaking the previous record low of -8.58 metres, set in June 2022.
Emergency level raised to “high”
The Po River Basin Authority (Adbpo) said on Thursday that the drought crisis affecting the Po Valley had become more severe, following a meeting of its observatory on water resources. The authority raised the severity level of the emergency to “high”, warning that more than 100 municipalities in Piedmont and Lombardy are now facing critical issues with their drinking water supply.
In several of these municipalities, water tankers have been deployed for days to refill reservoirs and ensure domestic users continue to receive an uninterrupted water supply. The scarcity is also creating significant problems for agriculture across the region.
“Let’s not kid ourselves”
Adbpo Secretary General Alessandro Delpiano said the situation continues to deteriorate despite recent rainfall. “The situation has worsened,” he said. “Let’s not kid ourselves into thinking that summer storms can solve these deep problems. Despite the rainfall (from recent storms), we have less water in our lakes and rivers compared to 10 days ago, with significant irrigation demands still needed for several crops, starting with rice.”
The record low comes as Italy continues to battle repeated heatwaves this summer.
