Ticino water use reaches up to 500 litres per person a day

Ticino’s drinking-water supply has entered a critical phase. The Associazione acquedotti ticinesi (AAT) is urging residents to cut consumption immediately after reserves in numerous municipalities fell to historically low levels.

The rainfall deficit has persisted since October 2025. Spring and the first part of summer were among the driest ever recorded in Switzerland. Several municipal suppliers have already imposed restrictions or asked residents to use water sparingly, yet consumption remains high. According to the AAT, averages in some areas are reaching 500 litres per person per day.

The difficulty is not limited to the volume held in springs and reservoirs. Distribution networks are under constant strain. If pumps, pipes or other components fail while the system is operating close to maximum capacity, suppliers could struggle to guarantee even essential uses.

Uses that can wait

The association is asking residents to follow instructions from their municipality and avoid anything that is not indispensable. Examples include washing cars and paved areas, watering lawns and gardens, and other uses that can be postponed.

Conditions vary between networks because each water supplier depends on local sources and infrastructure. Municipal directions therefore remain the practical point of reference for residents. The canton-wide appeal is intended to lower the overall pressure before further failures or declining reserves force stricter measures.

The crisis also shows the importance of managing demand during a prolonged drought. New reserves cannot be created in the short term. The available margin therefore depends largely on how quickly the existing water is consumed.