The Italian Minister for Civil Protection and Marine Policies, Nello Musumeci, considered that the “only solution” to deal with the drought that is hitting the country is “a healthy and realistic water rationing plan”, and announced that he will seek measures to collect rainwater for irrigation and other agricultural activities.
“For the foreseeable future, the only solution is a sound and realistic rationing plan”Musumecci raised in an interview published by the newspaper La Stampa, given the 40% rainfall so far this year and which has led to significant decreases in the volume of the country’s most important lakes and rivers.
For Musumecci, “the use of drinking water for non-domestic purposes could be monitored in critical areas”, although he stated that “any rationing is in any case a choice of mayors and regional presidents”.
The 40% reduction in rainfall compared to the average produced millions in losses to agriculture in 2022 and this year also threatens tourism from the drop in levels, for example, of the characteristic canals of Venice.
The Italian Government Minister proposed that the 20 regions of the country begin construction processes of ponds to accumulate rainwater.
“In Italy we only use 11% of what falls each year. So maintenance is needed on dams and urban water networks that in many cases are a sieve. Also, why not use purified rainwater to irrigate the fields? Musumecci proposed.
“Without these and other initiatives we will continue to pursue the miracle of the rain that never comes,” he lamented.
“In Italy we only use 11% of what falls each year. So maintenance is needed on dams and urban water networks that in many cases are a sieve. Also, why not use purified rainwater to irrigate the fields? “
According to Coldiretti, the main Italian farmers’ association, the lack of rain this year could cause losses in agriculture of more than 6,000 million euros in 2022.
