Due to the drought, it may become necessary to restrict water use in Italy, according to the government

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Gilberto Picchetto Frantin stated that the drought will worsen in the coming months. He said he hoped it would rain in the next two to three months and the dams would be filled, or there would be consequences. “No decision has been made yet, negotiations with the operators of the national water system have begun, but we will get there in some areas of Italy,” the minister of environmental protection and energy security hinted at the possible introduction of the “water quota”. He pointed out that after the decrease already experienced last year, the capacity of the hydropower plants may decrease further. According to the data of Assoidroelettrica, which represents the sector, published on Friday, the performance of hydropower plants in 2022 dropped to almost half of what it was before, and an even worse result is expected this year.

According to data from the Coldiretti producers’ association, the lack of rainfall has reached dramatic proportions

In particular, the water deficit exceeded 40 percent in the areas of northern Italy. More than 50 percent less snow than usual fell in the Alps. The water has disappeared at several points in the bed of the country’s largest river, the Pó. In Venice, the smaller canals have dried up. The drought affecting the Po Lowland, known as the country’s number one food supply region, could endanger the production of a third of traditional Italian products, the agricultural organization warned. According to Coldiretti, there will not be enough of the durum wheat needed for pasta production, and the drought will also affect fruit and vegetable production, as well as the production of Parmesan cheese and Parma ham. Half of the farm livestock is located in the drought-prone northern regions. This year the rice harvest will be the lowest in the last thirty years, the cultivated area has decreased by eight thousand hectares.

The prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, announced that she would convene a summit meeting on the first of March to assess the available water resources in Italy

Among the items on the agenda of the meeting is the reduction of network water loss and the cleaning of riverbeds. The government’s goal is to develop a medium-long-term national action plan to deal with the situation caused by the drought. The meeting will be attended by the head of the ministry responsible for the use of European funds for environmental protection, infrastructure and transport, agriculture and economic recovery. Civil defense representatives will also be present.

MTI