Enlarge image
River Po in Turin: Just a trickle
Photo: IMAGO/Mauro Ujetto / IMAGO/NurPhoto
A historic drought has forced northern Italy to take drastic measures.
The association of water and energy suppliers Utilitalia called on 125 communities to ration drinking water.
With the appeal, the association reacted to the extreme drought in the Piedmont and Lombardy regions, through which the Po river flows.
The municipalities should turn off the drinking water supply to households at night or at least throttle it.
The authority responsible for the Po River reported the worst drought and the lowest water level in 70 years.
In many places only a trickle remains of the normally mighty river.
No rain – for 110 days
"The situation is getting worse and worse," said a spokesman for the authority responsible for the Po of the Ansa news agency.
"In some areas it hasn't rained for 110 days." Dozens of communities are already using tankers to transport water because the water reservoirs are empty.
A crisis meeting with Minister of Agriculture Stefano Patuanelli is planned for Friday in Rome.
Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardy Region, announced on Thursday that he would declare a state of emergency.
The situation is "dramatic", and not only in Lombardy, but also in Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto.
jpz/dpa
