World Water Day. In Italy in 2023 the availability of water will be reduced by 18% compared to the annual average calculated since 1951

Drought, record rainfall and floods. Better situation than in 2022

ISPRA analyzes on the availability of national water resources
The availability of water resources in the year 2023 confirms the negative trend recorded for several years in Italy, although as shown by the BIGBANG estimates (the national hydrological model created by ISPRA) it can be considered a year of recovery compared to 2022.

In Italy, the availability of water resources for the year 2023 is estimated at 112.4 billion cubic meters, compared to a total precipitation value of 279.1 billion cubic meters. However, during the year there was a certain recovery compared to 2022, the year in which the availability of water resources reached 67 billion cubic metres, the historic minimum since 1951 and corresponding to approximately 50% of the average annual availability (137 .8 billion cubic meters), calculated over the period 1951–2023.

The year 2023 recorded a nationwide reduction of approximately 18% in availability compared to the annual average of the same long period 1951–2023, the result of the combined effect of a rainfall deficit - especially in the months of February, March, September and December - and an increase in direct evaporation water volumes from bodies of water and from the ground.