Sicily Faces Worst Water Crisis in History as Drought Threatens Survival of Towns

Sicily is facing its worst water crisis in history, with drought threatening the survival of its towns. The situation is particularly dire in Troina, a small town in the island’s interior, where the Ancipa dam, the primary water source for several local communities, has drastically reduced its water levels.

Residents of Troina, like many others in Sicily, are already struggling with severe water shortages, and local authorities have been forced to ration supplies. Despite some autumn rains, the water reservoirs across the island are still critically low, with some almost completely dry.

The situation in Troina escalated in late November when authorities ordered the remaining water in the Ancipa dam to be shared with neighboring towns in another province. Fearing that this would leave them with even less, residents took drastic action. On November 30, they occupied the dam’s distribution center to prevent the transfer of water, which they saw as essential for their survival.

Salvatore Giamblanco, a local businessman, expressed the sentiment shared by many in the town, stating that if Troina’s residents were forced to share the already scarce water, they would be left without enough for their own needs.

This conflict over water, dubbed “the water war” by the press, has highlighted the deepening crisis in Sicily. Authorities in the region had no choice but to consider sharing water between multiple towns, but the lack of alternatives for Troina’s people made such a decision untenable.

For the residents of the town, even basic tasks like cooking, washing, and drinking have become difficult. Many families, like Silvio Siciliano’s, have had to rely on makeshift water sources, often waiting in long lines at the old Ummuru watering hole to fill containers with water that is often contaminated.

Some, like Gaetano Giamblanco, have resorted to extreme measures in protest. Gaetano, who runs a bar in Troina, decided to stop paying his water bills until he can access clean, potable water in his business again.

He voiced frustration with the water shortages, which have become a constant, rather than seasonal, problem for many in the region. As winter approaches, the situation grows even more desperate, with many fearing that the crisis will only worsen, especially given the lack of snow in the mountains that would normally replenish the water supply.

The water shortages in Sicily are exacerbated by long-term issues, such as the neglect of essential infrastructure. The island traditionally relies on aquifers and reservoirs to supply water for both domestic and agricultural use, but these systems are increasingly ineffective due to declining rainfall and the poor state of irrigation networks, which have not been properly maintained for decades. Without urgent repairs and a change in water management, the situation is expected to worsen, leaving many areas without reliable access to water.

After three days of protest, the residents of Troina reached a temporary agreement with local authorities to limit the distribution of Ancipa Dam water to just the five municipalities surrounding it. While this provides some relief for the time being, the long-term solutions to the water crisis remain unclear.

Local officials worry that the drought could lead to depopulation in rural Sicilian towns, which are already struggling with economic decline. In Troina, officials have even resorted to offering homes for as little as €1 to attract new residents, but without a stable water supply, the future of these towns remains uncertain.