Drought: 40 northern towns get power to ration water
«An order had been agreed with prefects to enable mayors to ration water, if they consider it necessary, in 40 towns, above all in the provinces of Novara and Verbania Cusio Ossola,» Piedmont Executive Councillor Matteo Marnati told reporters after an emergency meeting with Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto, ANSA reports.
«The limitations do not regard use in the home, but to water gardens, fill swimming pools and for other non-priority purposes.
«The mayors will decide».
The shortage is especially alarming as it comes at a time of year when water supplies would normally be plentiful Low levels of rain and snowfall last winter exacerbated an already difficult situation after the lack of rainfall and long series of heat waves Italy endured last summer hit water resources badly.
Mild winter temperatures have also brought forward the melting of snow in the mountains.
The drought is causing massive problems for Italian farmers.
Scientists say that extreme weather events like heat waves, supercharged storms, flooding and droughts are becoming more frequent and more intense because of climate change caused by human greenhouse-gas emissions.
The Po River District Authority said Thursday that a recent wave of rain and snow in northern Italy has not alleviated the situation.
It said there was a situation of»extreme drought«at all of its monitoring stations along the Po, Italy's longest river.
The situation is bad at Italy's big lakes too.
It said Lake Garda was 37.1% full and at its lowest level since 1953.
It said Lake Maggiore was 43.8% full and Lake Como was at 23.5%.