Palermo faces water crisis as reservoirs run low: Amap cuts supply in most areas

Last Updated: April 3, 2024

Pochissima acqua negli invasi, a Palermo è emergenza idrica: l'Amap taglia l'erogazione in quasi tutta la città

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An emergency plan to reach the next winter. From Friday, April 5, many neighborhoods in Palermo will undergo a reduction in water supply. The volume of reservoirs has decreased by 50% in recent months, so Amap has decided to lower the pressure in the network.

“Available reserves for water distribution in the networks of the 47 Municipalities entrusted to Amap management, which had already reached alert levels since the beginning of the current year, have not improved due to the modest rainfall that occurred between late February and early March.”

Situation of particular criticality is being recorded in the Scanzano, Piana degli Albanesi, Poma and Rosamarina reservoirs where there is a decrease in total volumes of over 50% compared to the same period last year. And other decreases continue to be recorded also in the levels of underground water tables throughout the province, also involving sources and wells.

The rationing plan will have inevitable consequences on water distribution in the networks: “A measure – explained from Via Volturno – necessary to ensure that the volumes stored up to now can allow the feeding of the networks until the next winter season.”

Regarding Palermo, for which zones had already been identified where slight pressure reductions had been made since mid-January, further and more substantial reductions will be implemented starting from Friday, with consequent pressure reductions. “Measures – warned by Amap – that may result in, in some points of the districts involved, even the absence of supply during peak consumption times.”

The neighborhoods affected by the reduction:
– In the North-Western area of Palermo: Strasburgo, San Lorenzo-Resuttana, Lazio-Piazza Leoni, San Filippo Neri (Zen), Pallavicino, Villaggio Ruffini, Arenella, Vergine Maria, Mondello, Partanna Mondello, Tommaso Natale, Sferracavallo, Cardillo.
– Center: Libertà, Borgo Nuovo, Passo di Rigano, Perpignano Alto, Cep, Borgo Molara, Calatafimi.
– Eastern Zone: Villagrazia, Falsomiele, Galletti-Bandita-Favara.

“It is not excluded – underlined by Ama – more restrictive measures, if necessary, depending on the conditions that will arise in the coming months. Further measures to contain consumption may therefore gradually be adopted in other areas of the city also in order to minimize inconveniences to public and sensitive users (schools, hospitals, clinics, public buildings).”

Amap, apologizing for the inevitable inconveniences that will occur, invites all users to make conscious use of the resource, to avoid waste and limit the use of water not related to hydro-potable and hygienic-sanitary needs.

Amap has initiated a series of measures to mitigate the effects of the extraordinary dry season: acquisition of new wells, implementation of a extraordinary plan to reduce physical losses, fight against unauthorized connections, and reduction of water volumes supplied to extra-urban users.