Water supplies are being cut off completely at night in 10 towns, mostly in the province of Novara.
Italy’s longest river, the Po, is currently experiencing its worst drought in 70 years, leaving several sections of the waterway completely dry.
“At the moment, we have secured enough drinking water for civilians, but not enough for agricultural requirements,” Cirio said.
“This has been the second hottest May since 2009, which has contributed to a crisis.
“The volume of the Po is 72 per cent lower than it should be, as there has been no melting snow in the mountains to feed the river.”
Officials in both Piedmont and Lombardy have asked the government to declare a state of emergency.
After one of the driest winters in decades, some areas have had no rain for over 110 days.
The Confederazione Italiana Agricoltori (CIA) have called for immediate action, estimating that the drought will cost farmers over one billion euros – a figure which continues to climb.
The agricultural lobby has demanded that the government set up emergency irrigation to save the summer watermelon and tomato crops, along with basins for rainwater storage, to safeguard against future droughts.
Italy’s fish and seafood farming sectors are also under threat, as a result of higher water temperatures and increased salinity levels from the lack of rain.
Climate scientists have warned that Italy will be subject to more frequent and intense droughts in the future, due to the escalating climate crisis.
An official report concluded that the drought alert has spread from the Po Valley to central rivers, including the Arno, the Aniene and the Tiber, which all have less than half the volume they would normally at this time of year.
On Friday, local media reported that Turin was experiencing a series of power outages, as the hot weather was putting undue stress on the underground cables.
