Po River basin faces severe water shortage, impacting farms and communities

Legambiente data show that in June more than 60% of monitoring stations in the Po basin recorded water‑level anomalies, with flow rates below the climatic average and critical lows at Piacenza, Cremona and Pontelagoscuro. The agency says the shortage threatens agriculture, industry and ecosystems, urging structural measures such as wastewater reuse, leakage reduction and a new territorial‑water management plan.

In the Oltrepo Pavese area, the municipality of Romagnese and neighbouring towns (including Zavattarello, Ponte Nizza, Val di Nizza, Cecima and parts of Godiasco Salice Terme) suffered prolonged tap‑water interruptions. Autobotti tank trucks from Asm Voghera were deployed to refill reservoirs, while mayor Manuel Achille called for urgent pipeline replacement and better fault monitoring.

Farmers along the Po report extensive damage: 50 hectares of corn destroyed, estimated losses of €200 000, plus ruined tomatoes, melons, beets and watermelons, and livestock impacts. Low river flow forced the Isola Serafini power plant to curtail generation. River discharge at Piacenza fell from 748 m³/s on 4 June to 218 m³/s by 18 June, reflecting an early, intense summer drought.