Within 40 days, if the already financed works begin immediately, 116 liters of water per second more for Agrigento: this is what concretely emerged from the ‘control room’ in Palermo.
Faced with the worsening of the water crisis in Agrigento and its province, an urgent meeting of the ‘control room’ for the emergency in Palermo was convened at Palazzo d’Orleans. And a local ‘control room’ has been established, i.e. a permanent ‘table’ reserved for urgent matters in Agrigento. Then everything as before, that is: short-term exploitation of some wells capable of providing an additional 116 liters of water per second within 40 days, of which the first 60 are already within 20 days, starting from the day the works begin. And then, in the medium if not long term, the reactivation of the Porto Empedocle watermaker for which the first million euros should be allocated in the budget changes currently being examined by the Regional Assembly. In the meantime, attempts are being made to anxiously retain tourists in Agrigento or who are about to visit Agrigento or who, after having booked, are contemplating cancellation due to the accommodation facilities’ taps running dry. Mediaset Tg 5 also noted all this last night, criticizing at a national level the ‘business card’ of the city that will be the Italian Capital of Culture in a few months. The President of the Region, Renato Schifani, confirms and argues: “I wanted to immediately set up an emergency table on the water crisis in Agrigento to provide quick 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 the 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 immediately to resolve the problem immediately and, then, for medium and medium structural solutions. long term” – concludes Schifani. The financial coverage of the buffer interventions to be started immediately is guaranteed by the 6 million euros allocated to Agrigento among the 20 allocated by the national government upon recognition of the water crisis in Sicily as a national emergency. And further needs for money to support further interventions are also foreseeable at the permanent ‘table’. And the Region – it was assured during the conversation at Palazzo d’Orleans – will take action promptly. Furthermore, the head of Civil Protection, Salvatore Cocina, has promised financing for the purchase of two tankers and other more suitable vehicles (read motoape) to reach the streets and alleys of the Arab historic center close to the Norman cathedral which stands on the city founded by the Greeks. And the regional councilor for public utility services, Roberto Di Mauro, throws water on the fire and explains: “The buffer works, as for the new wells, can start immediately to provide relief to Agrigento and its coastal strip. Thanks to the Civil Protection ordinance with which 6 million euros were allocated, Aica, which is the implementing body, will be able to proceed immediately. Within 40 days we will have approximately 116 liters of water more per second, and the first 60 liters can arrive within 20 days with two immediate interventions on a new well and on two existing ones”. The ‘control room’ session ended in the countryside: the Western Sicily Reclamation Consortium is working with agricultural organizations to agree on the distribution of available water resources. And the livestock sector will be watered by tankers.
