Sicily’s Drought Crisis: Residents Face Soaring Water Costs, Reaching €300 per Month
Palermo, Italy – Sicily, the largestisland in the Mediterranean Sea, is grappling with a severe drought that has left dozens of towns in the central region facing water rationing and relying on water tankers for supply. The average cost of water for residents has skyrocketed to €300 per month, highlighting the dire consequences of the ongoing water shortage.
Thedrought, characterized by months of rainfall below historical averages, has prompted the Italian government to declare a state of emergency in Sicily in May, aiming to better manage water resources before the rainy season. However, the situation remains critical, with many residentsin the city of Caltanissetta enduring a two-month absence of tap water. Some communities receive water for only a few hours each week or every two weeks.
I have to call a water truck every 15 or20 days to refill my tank, said a resident of Caltanissetta. The cost of an 8,000-liter truck is around €100, double what it was last year. Then there’s the extra cost of electricity to pump the water from the tank to myhouse.
The scarcity of water has also led to a surge in illegal water sales. Under Sicilian law, water is considered a public good, and private wells are for personal use only, not for sale. Only authorized individuals can draw water from public sources and charge for transportation, subject to paying water fees to the officialwater company. However, the desperate situation has prompted some to engage in illicit water trading, with unregulated sources and uncertain water quality.
Multiple cities in Sicily have imposed fines of thousands of euros on individuals caught selling water without authorization or selling contaminated water.
The situation is very serious, said Salvatore Cocina, head ofSicily’s Civil Protection department. We are looking for new water sources and repairing abandoned wells. But in this emergency, mayors should use their powers to temporarily requisition private wells.
Oscar Aiello, a councilor in Caltanissetta, is attempting to persuade well owners to voluntarily share their precious water. Ina social media post this month, he urged them to be generous, stating that their kindness will be rewarded.
The drought’s impact extends beyond the financial burden. The lack of water is affecting agriculture, tourism, and the overall quality of life in Sicily. The situation underscores the need for long-term solutionsto address water scarcity, including investing in water infrastructure, promoting water conservation, and exploring alternative water sources.
As the drought persists, the residents of Sicily are facing a challenging summer, struggling to cope with the high cost of water and the uncertainty of their future. The situation serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilityof communities to climate change and the importance of sustainable water management practices.
【source】http://www.chinanews.com/gj/2024/08-27/10275409.shtml
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