Until December 31, 2022, Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia will be under a state of emergency due to the water shortage. This will make it easier for the government to free up funds and support to combat the effects of the drought in the Alpine regions and areas along the Po. The Italian government has made 36.5 million euros available to the regions.
The state of emergency is therefore in place in the areas worst hit by the drought. Northern Italy in particular is currently experiencing severe drought. Large lakes such as Lake Garda have considerably less water than usual at this time of year.
The water level in the Po — Italy’s longest stream — dropped so low that miles of saltwater seeped into the riverbed at the mouth of the sea. In some places, the level is the lowest in 70 years. Cities like Pisa and Verona have recently restricted water use. Venice and Milan have cut off some of their sources. In some cities it is no longer allowed to wash the car.
The severity and likelihood of droughts have almost certainly increased in the Mediterranean and other regions of the world as a result of climate change. Some of the water is also lost through poorly maintained pipes in Italy.