The Guardian - ‘The water war’: how drought threatens survival of Sicily’s towns
“We needed to shine a spotlight on the consequences that the decision to use the little water left in the Ancipa reservoir would have caused if shared with other towns in other provinces.”
Sicily’s worst drought has left towns like Troina fighting to hold on to their last drops of water. Photograph: Alessio Mamo. Photo sourced from The Guardian.
Sicily is grappling with its worst drought in history, placing entire communities, such as Troina, on the brink of survival. With reservoirs running dry and tensions over dwindling resources escalating, the island's residents are fighting for access to the limited water supplies that remain. The Ancipa dam, once holding over 30 million cubic meters of water, has been reduced to less than 290,000 cubic meters, forcing local authorities to make the difficult decision to share the remaining water with neighboring regions. This sparked what has been described as "the water war," as towns like Troina occupied the water distribution center to protect their lifeline.
The drought, exacerbated by a lack of winter rainfall and neglected infrastructure, is pushing Sicily closer to desertification. The province of Enna, where Troina is located, has experienced dramatic water shortages, with some towns receiving water only once a week, often with discolored, undrinkable supply. Local businesses, like Salvatore Giamblanco's bed and breakfast, are severely impacted, leading to canceled reservations and economic hardship. The situation has prompted desperate measures, including refusing to pay water bills until the supply improves.
In response to the crisis, Troina's residents have found themselves traveling to old watering holes, filling containers just to meet basic needs. But even with the recent concession to keep the Ancipa dam's remaining water for five local municipalities, the crisis is far from over. Local leaders emphasize that the drought threatens not only the survival of towns like Troina but also their cultural heritage and future.
“In the long run, this drought risks depopulating the already sparsely populated tiny towns in the Sicilian hinterland,”
This dire situation highlights the need for comprehensive water management strategies and sustainable solutions to prevent further devastation. With the potential for increased droughts and water scarcity due to climate change, initiatives like the Canada1Water project (C1W) can play a crucial role in providing data-driven insights to help regions like Sicily manage their water resources more effectively. By leveraging advanced hydrological modelling, C1W enables decision-makers to plan for and mitigate the impacts of future water crises, ensuring more resilient communities in the face of climate extremes.