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Rome: fill that water bottle where you can

Apparently there's been an order to gradually, temporarily close all but 85 of Rome's over 2000 famous free-flowing 'nasoni' drinking fountains due to drought. Along with addressing conservation concerns, this will also allow for repair of some aging, leaking plumbing. Closures are supposed to occur at the rate of 30 per day, and those fountains are expected to remain closed throughout the summer unless significant rainfall alleviates some of the problem.

Humanitarian groups - including the Red Cross - are protesting the move for the disadvantaged who rely on them for drinking water and personal hygiene, and I guess they help keep the sewers clean as well so if things become pretty odoriferous...

Anyway, as carrying a refillable bottle around for taking advantage of cold, clean, free water from the nasoni is often recommended in the Rome threads, it's a head's up that working fountains may be fewer and farther between over the coming weeks.

Here's a list of the fountains which are scheduled to remain open, and a related article in English:

http://ecodallecitta.it/notizie/387776/roma-inizia-la-chiusura-dei-nasoni-ecco-quelli-che-resteranno-sempre-aperti

https://www.thelocal.it/20170630/rome-is-turning-off-its-public-fountains-to-cope-with-drought

Posted by
11613 posts

Not for drinking, but the Four Rivers fountain in Piazza Navona was dry today.

Posted by
4152 posts

There is a drought going on so they are trying to conserve water. I'm sure it's not just going to be the "nasoni" that are shut down.

Donna

Posted by
16730 posts

Right. I mentioned the drought above but had not seen anything (yet) about shutting down ornamental fountains like Trevi, Four Rivers, Il Tritone, etc. It's probably possible that could happen if the situation gets severe enough.

Posted by
11613 posts

I didn't see maintenance going on, but the two smaller fountains were trickling, so I think there may be a) some type of maintenance scheduled, or b) periods when some fountains are turned off, or the flow of water is reduced.

Posted by
51 posts

In Rome right now. It is hot. The fountains get so much use - from tourists as well as what looks like homeless folks. Using them to rinse their head/faces. Hard to imagine them turned off.