Water scarcity: EU countries forced to restrict drinking water access

Amplified by human-induced climate change and water over-consumption, southern Europeans are feeling the consequences of more extreme heat waves and longer droughts. Now governments from Portugal to Italy are calling on citizens to limit water use to the bare minimum. But in some places this is not enough. While private consumption of water in the EU accounts for just 9% of total usage, around 60% is absorbed by agriculture. "Droughts are one thing," said Nihat Zal, a water expert at the European Environment Agency (EEA), which informs EU environment policy. "The other is how much water we take out of the system." The situation is probably the most dramatic in northern Italy, where the region is suffering its worst drought in 70 years. More than 100 cities have been called on to limit water consumption as much as possible. On Monday, the Italian government declared a state of emergency for five regions until the end of the year. It plans to provide €36 million ($37 million) in the ...