Turin water supply maintained during June 27 blackout

On June 27, an electrical failure knocked out all four power lines at the Smat water‑treatment plant that supplies the Po river water to Turin. The outage began at 10:35 a.m., but the city’s emergency plan was activated immediately. Backup production plants in Beinasco, Venaria, Regina Collegno, Piazza Derna and Madonna delle Rose provided the missing 1,215 litres per second, while two standby generators added 450 litres per second around 1 p.m. and a third generator was brought online later in the afternoon. Water pressure fell slightly, but service to residents continued without interruption; the plant’s emergency call centre received fewer than forty calls.

Assessora Chiara Foglietta addressed the incident, rejecting rumors of a water cut and linking the problem to an unprecedented heat wave that has stressed underground cables and increased consumption. She called for accelerated infrastructure investment and criticized political actors who, in her view, exploit the situation for electoral gain. Opposition councilors also demanded greater transparency and longer‑term solutions to the city’s aging distribution network.