Anbi, the association of basin consortia, in its weekly bulletin on Italy’s water resources, has sent an urgent warning concerning the drought situation in central and southern Italy.
“Three more weeks and there will be no more water for agriculture in Central and Southern Italy.”
The report highlights a dire situation in Puglia, Abruzzo, and Sicily, where reservoirs are nearly empty. The situation is also severe in Sardinia, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, and Lazio. Conversely, Northern Italy is experiencing an “overabundance of water,” with lakes and rivers exceeding average flow rates. On 21st and 22nd July, Italy faced 54 extreme weather events.
The Occhito reservoir, located between Molise and Puglia and crucial for Tavoliere agriculture and the Apulian Aqueduct, has lost over 15 million cubic metres in just eight days. The Fortore river dam will now primarily serve drinking water purposes. By mid-August, Capitanata will lack resources for irrigation.
“There is a real risk of seeing the Foggia plain dry up, as well as large portions of the Salento territory,” stated Francesco Vincenzi, President of Anbi. In Abruzzo, after the Penne basin dried up, the Chiauci reservoir is expected to run out by mid-August, affecting the Peligna valley. The Maiella springs are at their lowest levels.
Drought in Sicily
In Sicily, cumulative rainfall over the past year was just 414 mm, only 1 mm more than during the severe drought of 2002. Eastern Sicily faces a rainfall deficit exceeding 60% annually. Regional reservoirs hold 267 million cubic metres, 38.21% of the authorised capacity and 42% less than the fifteen-year average. Of this, only 122 million cubic metres are usable, accounting for fish fauna needs, silting, and the “dead volume.”
On the island, 6 out of 29 basins are completely dry, another 6 have less than a million cubic metres, and 4 have less than two million. Gela cannot receive any irrigation water, and all municipalities in the province of Caltanissetta face water distribution cuts. In Enna, drinking water is supplied every other day.
In Agrigento, efforts are being made to save citrus groves by reallocating irrigation resources. The Ragusa area’s springs are nearly dry, and Messina faces similar conditions. Water rationing is also in place in Palermo. Recent rains have only affected the extreme northeastern edge of the island, leaving most of Sicily dry.
Civil Protection Minister Nello Musumeci, during a speech, said there is money available for water initiative projects.
“We have made 1.2 billion euros available to the regions: 400 million for ongoing projects and 800 million for new initiatives. Minister Fitto informs me that only about 30% has been used so far. It must be completed by June 2026. I hope that this data is outdated or that the regions will work diligently to make up for lost time.”
