Calabria faces water emergency amid unspent resilience funds

The Calabria region is facing a severe water emergency characterized by service interruptions, pressure drops, and rationing. Political leaders, including Elisa Scutellà of the Movimento 5 Stelle, have criticized the inability to translate available funding into concrete infrastructure improvements.

Reports indicate that approximately 147 million euros intended for water resilience remain unspent. This lack of progress has led to calls for the adoption of the ‘Calabria Acqua 2030’ plan, a strategic initiative aimed at mapping infrastructure, ensuring transparency in investments, and implementing a multi-year program for network repairs using European, national, and regional funds.

In addition to structural issues, there are growing concerns regarding potential water theft through illegal connections and fraudulent withdrawals, which may be exacerbating the depletion of municipal reservoirs during the summer months.