Dolomites mountain huts face water shortages and overtourism

Mountain huts in the Dolomites are facing severe operational challenges due to a combination of tourism surges and water shortages. Francesco Abbruscato, president of the Italian Alpine Club (CAI) in Veneto, stated that operators lack the resources to manage the current volume of guests.

Water scarcity has become a critical issue as low winter snowfall and reduced spring and summer rainfall have depleted reserves. The high influx of visitors has further increased consumption, in some instances requiring water to be transported to huts via helicopter. Some operators have faced the threat of having to suspend operations entirely, as running a mountain hut is impossible without a reliable water supply.

In the province of Belluno, the CAI sections manage approximately 30 mountain huts. Due to these pressures, some hut owners are considering limiting future reservations to manage the strain.