The Italian city of Milan is turning off the fountains because the country needs more water to fight drought — one of the strongest in decades.
This was reported by The Guardian.
For example, the Milan authorities are shutting down public fountains amid warnings about water rationing during the day — about 50 out of 100 fountains. The measure was taken after the Lombardy region declared a state of emergency.
Residents of the city were also urged to minimize water consumption at home. In addition, residents and business owners have been ordered not to set temperatures below +26 ° C to save energy — after a power outage in some parts of the city last week, caused by a surge in the use of air conditioners in high temperatures.
Italy is experiencing intense prolonged heat, and by the end of the week, the temperature in some parts of the country will exceed +40 ° C. The drought hit the northern regions hardest, where the Po River (Italyʼs longest waterway) has almost dried up, damaging everything from agriculture and hydroelectric plants to drinking water supplies. Fabrizio Curcio, head of Italyʼs civil defense department, said on Monday that the water level in Po was 80% lower than usual, as rainfall was 40-50% lower than the average in recent years and snowfall had dropped by 70%.
Attilio Fontana, president of Lombardy, said the drought was the worst in the region. According to the Coldiretti Farmersʼ Association, the effects of the drought in the Po River Valley on agriculture are estimated at more than € 3 billion. Drought has also spread to the Arno River in Tuscany, as well as the Tiber and Aniena in Lazio and damaged several lakes, including the south.
In other regions, a state of emergency is expected, as the government has taken measures to combat drought, which may include water rationing during the day in some areas. Nightly water restrictions are already in place in several northern cities.