Measures in place in previous days to ban tourists from Capri have been lifted after problems with the water system last Thursday morning, after the damage was repaired and water supply has returned, as well as normality on the popular Italian island.
Last Thursday morning, 20 June, a rupture was detected in the water supply pipeline serving the Sorrento peninsula and Capri, in the municipality of Castellammare di Stabia. The repair work, as explained by the competent authority, ‘was completed according to schedule’, but ‘when the water flow was reopened, technical problems were encountered which continued to cause water shortages in various areas’.
It is speculated that an air bubble or a build-up of material inside the pipes may have been created, preventing the water from reaching the island’s distribution network. No particular problems were reported on the island, however, although the mayor had recommended that consumption be kept to a minimum. Besides, many hotels are equipped with stand-alone tanks, as are many homes.
In a statement published on the website of the municipality of Capri, the local authority thanked “the Civil Protection volunteers, municipal employees, tour operators and all citizens for their understanding and cooperation during the emergency”.
The fact that the situation had returned to normal had already become apparent on Saturday afternoon, when the water supply service, which serves 75 municipalities in the provinces of Naples and Salerno, informed the public that “as of 6 p.m., barring an unforeseen event, the restoration of water supply to Capri Island will gradually normalise”.
Thus, the citizens and tour operators of Capri and Anacapri are breathing a sigh of relief, as the continuation of such a situation would be dangerous for the local economy in the busiest period for the island.
The water supply problem led the island’s mayor, Paolo Falco, to issue an order banning access to visitors except for those who had already booked a hotel, which he revoked on Saturday night.
The suspension of tourist disembarkation did, however, cause consequences at the ports of departure for the island, starting with Molo Beverello in Naples, where long queues of passengers were recorded at the ticket offices.
