A permanent table to monitor the water supply of Agrigento and its coastal strip on a daily basis and to intervene promptly on every single critical issue, especially in the tourism-hotel sector. This is what was decided today during the meeting of the control room on the water emergency called urgently by the president of the Sicilian Region, Renato Schifani, with the aim of accelerating every possible action against the risks linked to the effects of drought.
In recent days, Francesco Picarella, head of Federalberghi, owner of the Viale hotel, had – in no uncertain terms – highlighted the increase in cancellations by tourists in hotels and B&Bs. “I wanted to immediately set up an emergency table on the water crisis in Agrigento – said the President of the Region – to provide rapid responses to the city, especially in view of the tourist season that has just begun. The objective is to avoid the worsening of the situation and also avoid the negative effects of alarmism which can be amplified, creating very serious damage to the economy and the image of the City of Temples and of the whole of Sicily. My government will follow the work of this table on a daily basis, providing support and everything that is necessary, but everyone must assume their responsibilities and work hard starting tomorrow to solve the problem immediately and, then, for medium and long-term structural solutions”.
There is less and less water: cancellations by tourists in hotels and B&Bs are increasing
Also present at the summit which took place at the Palazzo d’Orléans, seat of the Presidency of the Region, were the director of Civil Protection, Salvo Cocina; the Energy Councilor, Roberto Di Mauro; the mayor of Agrigento, Francesco Micciché; the representatives of Aica, ATI, Siciliacque, the extraordinary commissioner of the Western Sicily Reclamation Consortium, Baldo Giarraputo, the general secretary of the basin authority, Leonardo Santoro. Also via video link was the prefect of Agrigento, Filippo Romano.
The solutions to not dying of thirst: rebuild the watermaker and here are all the new water sources to draw from
Summit in the prefecture on the water emergency: tankers for everyone and 6 million euros available for the search for new sources
During the meeting the need to proceed immediately with the execution of those was reiterated short-term interventions that will guarantee a greater supply of water, thus avoiding the worsening of the scenario in the height of the tourist season. The President of the Region and the manager of the Civil Protection Department guaranteed immediate financial coverage, already foreseen in the six million euros allocated to deal with the Agrigento crisis, and any possible need linked to advance expenditure, and invited Ati and Aica the immediate start of work without further delay. The two bodies will have to precisely identify further interventions for which financial coverage may be given. Cocina has also secured financing for the purchase of two readily available tankers and light vehicles suitable for reaching the streets of the historic center.
Civil protection plan against the water deficit, the implementing body has been appointed: here are the priority interventions
“Today we reassured the Agrigento authorities that these works can start immediately – said the regional councilor for Energy and public utility services, Roberto di Mauro – to provide relief to Agrigento and its coastal strip. Thanks to the order of the Civil Protection with which 6 million euros were allocated, the AICA which is the implementing body, will be able to proceed from tomorrow. Within 40 days we will have approximately 116 liters of water more per second, the first 60 liters will be able to arrive within 20 days with two interventions immediately carried out on a new well and on two existing ones”. As regards the Porto Empedocle watermaker, the President of the Region announced that in the bill on budget changes, being examined by the Ars, there is an allocation of one million euros which will allow us to proceed with the design of the ‘plant. The work is part of the long-term solutions together with a detailed work plan already included in the Civil Protection ordinance which allocated resources to the City of Temples.
DOSSIER. Abandoned and vandalised, we take you inside the “ghost” watermaker in Porto Empedocle
As regards the agricultural sector, it emerged that the Western Sicily Reclamation Consortium is meeting agricultural organizations to agree on the distribution of available water resources, while for the livestock sector the tankers, also obtained through the Municipalities, will guarantee the water to farms. The permanent table set up in the civil engineering department will include civil protection, the municipality of Agrigento, the prefecture, representatives of Aica, Ati of Agrigento, Siciliacque, the reclamation consortium, the basin authorities and all the other bodies involved in the management of water resources.
