In Puglia, the situation of artesian wells is becoming increasingly criticalreflecting the drought affecting farmers and the territory. While prices of agricultural products increase, water resources decrease, putting the survival of fruit trees, vegetable gardens and stables to the test. Lack of forage, including wet hay for horses, is becoming a serious problem.
Coldiretti Puglia raised the alarm after the failure of the wells in Toritto, in the province of Bari, which are added to those of Palo del Colle and Noci. The Regional Agency for Irrigation and Forestry Activities (Arif) should intervene to resolve this emergency.
According to Coldiretti, the lack of rain led to a loss of 118 million cubic meters of water in the reservoirs. Puglia is the Italian region with the least rainfall, but the problem also lies in the ineffective collection of water due to the lack of storage systems.
The agricultural association proposes an urgent plan to resolve this water crisis, using the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). This plan should include the construction of reservoirs to collect and store rainwater, which could be used for irrigation and other purposes, thus reducing dependence on drinking water and addressing the risk of desertification which threatens 57% of the Apulian territory.
Ansa.it reports it
