Po River drought: water tankers deployed in dozens of Italian municipalities as drinking water alarm grows

Current severity assessment

The Osservatorio dell'Autorità di bacino del Po, the authority overseeing the Po River basin, confirmed on 21 July that the water severity status remains "medium in the absence of precipitation." This assessment comes despite recent thunderstorms that brought some relief but failed to reverse the underlying drought. The observatory noted that while the overall drought classification is medium, the drinking water situation is worsening rapidly. The next formal review is set for 30 July.

Drinking water is now the sector that is beginning to seriously worry.

Drinking water emergency

The most immediate concern is the supply of potable water. Across four regions (Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont, and Marche), numerous municipalities are now dependent on water tankers. In Lombardy alone, 50 municipalities are in difficulty, with 17 receiving tanker deliveries. Marche reports 32 affected municipalities. Specific areas under high stress include Rodigino in Veneto, and the Pavese, Vercellese, Novarese, Alessandrino, and Cuneese districts in Piedmont. The observatory emphasized that drinking water has overtaken agriculture as the primary emergency.

Agricultural strain and lake levels

Agriculture remains under severe pressure. In Piedmont, crops at risk include maize, meadows, fruit orchards, and rice. The Sesia river basin, which spans parts of Piedmont and Lombardy, is described as critical. Large lakes are also suffering: Lake Maggiore has dropped to its lower operational limit. Without significant inflows, regulators will be forced to cut outflows to a minimum to avoid compromising the entire system. At the Cremona and Borgoforte hydrometric stations, the Po's flow rates continue to be well below average, consistent with a "severe drought" condition.

Salt wedge intrusion in the Po Delta

In the Po Delta, the salt wedge is advancing inland, now stably affecting the Po di Goro branch near Ferrara. Although river flows have seen a slight uptick, they remain insufficient to push back the saline intrusion with adequate force. This prolonged saltwater encroachment threatens both agricultural irrigation and freshwater habitats in the delta.

Outlook and next steps

The observatory will reconvene on 30 July to reassess conditions. With many crops still requiring additional irrigation to reach full maturity and drinking water supplies already strained, the coming weeks are critical. No mandatory water-use restrictions have been announced yet, but the combination of low lake reserves, diminished river flows, and persistent heatwaves points to a high likelihood of further measures.