IRRIGATION IN ITALY

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LXI, Issue 16, 27 February 1940, Page 4

IRRIGATION IN ITALY

WORLD'S LONGEST

AQUEDUCT

GIGANTIC SCHEME FINISHED

The world's longest aqueduct system—totaling 993 miles—is the Fascist regime's answer to the water supply problem of nearly 3,000,000 persons who live in Italy's "Heel," says the Christian Science

Monitor.

Residents of five southeastern provinces which make up the Department of Puglia, the old Roman region of Apulia, who have been clamouring for more water for ages, now get all they want and more from the other side of the Apehnine Mountains. There now is an average of 40 gallons daily for each person. Bored Through Mountains Newest units of the system were completed, by Fascist engineers late in 1939. They accomplished their purpose by boring through Italy's mountain backbone to bring water which normally would have flowed down the well watered southwestern slopes of the Apennines into the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic and lonian Sea side of the mountains.

The water is carried along the upper region by a main canal from which branch off secondary aqueducts. The main aqueduct is 153 miles long, passing through tunnels for 68 miles. Secondary sys-, terns run 840 miles.

Italians say their aqueduct extending over the region of Apulia with its 2,667,000 inhabitants is the largest in the world and far outdistances the second largest—the Colgardie Aqueduct in Australia which extends 351 miles.

In years past, Apulians were compelled to slake their thirst with water from artesian wells or rain water. Droughts often cut even this meagre supply. Matteo Renato Imbria'ni, a member of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, back in 1889 told the Chamber that Apulia was "thirsty for water and for justice." His declaration became a historical one in Italian politics. Mussolini Pushed Work Studies of the water shortage problem started in 1860. An Italian company started work on an aqueduct in 1908 but halted operations a few years later because of a controversy with the State. Work was resumed but in 1915 Italy entered the World War and again work was stopped.

The Fascist Government tackled the job under Benito Mussolini in 1922 and the project was steadily pushed to completion in 1939.

Three hundred and fourteen municipal centres and sections are served by the vast waterway, including the ports of Brindisi and Taranto and the more recently constructed port of Bari, ah important communications centre for the Dalmation and Albanian coasts.