Rome enforces strict water-use restrictions amid summer drought
The residents of the Eternal City are feeling the consequences of climate change. The Mayor of Rome has introduced restrictions with severe penalties for violations.
Residents of Rome must limit water usage for recreational and sports purposes and watering private gardens and plots. Mayor Roberto Gualtieri signed the ordinance, which will be in effect until the end of September.
Wasting water can result in severe fines - up to 500 euros (over £430).
Limited water resources for the summer
The regulations aim to limit possible disruptions in water access during the summer due to the limited resources, as explained by the Mayor of the Eternal City on Wednesday at 11:00 GMT.
According to the issued ordinance, residents are advised to save water used for recreational and sports activities, such as in backyard pools, as well as for irrigating gardens and private vegetable and fruit crops.
Municipal police will conduct inspections, as announced by the Italian capital's authorities. Violations can result in fines ranging from 25 to 500 euros.
This is not the first such case
Let us recall: the authorities of Rome have already had to limit water usage once before, in September 2017. At that time, it was caused by a meagre amount of rainfall throughout the summer and problems with an outdated water supply network, in which many leaks were found.
Spain has also been struggling with this issue for many months. Long months of drought have caused a water crisis in many Spanish regions. Since the beginning of the year, nine million people have been restricted from using drinking water. Some cities have started completely cutting off water during nighttime hours. The most affected are Catalonia and Andalusia.
