Sunday, August 4, 2024
reading time: 2 minutes
Sicily suffers from severe drought, yet tourist attractions such as the fountains of Agrigento thrive, in contrast to the local water scarcity.
Sicily is facing severe drought conditions, With lakes and fields dry, tourist facilities like fountains and hotel pools remain unaffected. Despite a year of scant rainfall, life on the Italian island is still thriving in areas frequented by visitors. The famous fountains in the archaeological park of Agrigento continue to flow, and hotels keep their swimming pools full, creating a stark contrast to the scarcity faced by locals.
Sicilians are used to dry conditions, having adapted for decades to erratic weather made worse by climate change, leading to long periods of drought. They rely on water tankers and tankers to ensure a semblance of normality, allowing tourism to flourish even in tough times. However, this year has been particularly difficult, pushing the island’s resilience to the limit.
Agrigento is known for its resilience in the face of drought. Even with local authorities rationing water to just a few hours a week for nearly a million people, the city has managed to support the hospitality industry. Private cisterns and strategic water storage help residents and businesses adapt, ensuring that visitors are largely unaffected by the crisis.
Tourist attractions such as beautiful beaches and ancient Greek ruins continue to draw crowds. A prime example is the Valley of the Temples, which despite the overall water crisis has not suffered from water shortages, thanks to its priority to provide water supplies.
The situation is so critical that the Italian Navy has had to deliver millions of litres of water to support the most affected communities. Meanwhile, water tanker operators like Salvatore De Maria are playing a crucial role in this fight against drought, with their tankers becoming a common sight on Sicilian roads, delivering life-saving water to those most in need.
As southern Sicily experiences above-average temperatures and rapid water evaporation, experts like climate scientist Boccaletti warn of worsening conditions, stressing the need for improved infrastructure and strategic planning to mitigate future crises. The Mediterranean, a region vulnerable to climate impacts, is expected to endure higher temperatures and lower rainfall, underscoring the urgent need for adaptation measures.
