With Abruzzo facing another intensely hot and dry summer, the region is taking emergency steps to manage both heat-related risks and growing water shortages. Whether you’re a resident or visitor, adapting your habits now can protect your health, your community and your pets.
🚫 Midday Outdoor Work Ban
Outdoor labour is prohibited between 12:30 and 16:30 during heatwave alerts to prevent heatstroke and dehydration. The measure is critical for safeguarding outdoor workers – especially the many migrant labourers who are too often left unprotected. This summer, let’s hope authorities, landowners, and employers honour not just the rule, but the spirit behind it.
💧 Drought Conditions & Water Management
Abruzzo is now under medium to severe drought risk, between October 2024- April 2025 its water levels were down by -15%!
Residents should:
- Check local water board notices via official apps, municipal websites, or trusted Facebook groups
- Keep water storage tanks (autoclavi/architravi) topped up, especially in high-risk zones like Chieti province and between the coastal towns of Silvi Marina and San Salvo
- Make use of public water stations, often supplied by the comune — some even offer frizzante, giving an eco-friendly alternative to bottled water
🛡️ Tips for Living with Heat and Drought in Abruzzo
🔥 Watch for Signs of Heat Illness
- Heat exhaustion: fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea, cold/clammy skin
- Heat stroke: hot dry skin, rapid pulse, confusion, fainting — call emergency services immediately
⏰ Shift Your Schedule
- Do outdoor tasks in the early morning or after 17:00
- Stay in shade or indoors during 12:30–16:30. Visit indoor sights like museums and galleries. Make the most of the 1st Sunday of the month when state museums are free
- Close shutters during the day, and ventilate after sunset
💧 Use Water Wisely
- Take short showers, reuse grey water for plants
- Avoid washing cars or using hosepipes unnecessarily
- Always use refillable bottles and take advantage of free municipal water taps
🐾 Caring for Pets in the Heat
Don’t forget your four-legged companions — they suffer in the heat just like we do, often more so:
- Never leave animals in parked cars, even for a few minutes
- Avoid walking dogs before 17:00 — their paws can burn on hot asphalt
- Stick to grass or shaded trails, and always carry water
- Test the pavement: place your hand or bare foot on it for 7 seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them
- Make sure pets have constant access to fresh, cool water and a shady resting spot
- Take them for an early morning or late afternoon dip at a dog beach, look for ‘bau beach’ signs to know where dogs are permitted during the months of June to September.
Author: Sam Dunham
Sam is a freelance SEO content creator and IGCSE Geography and English teacher at Istituto Cristo Re in Rome. She also runs the Life In Abruzzo Cultural Association, sharing stories and insights about this captivating region.
Alongside raising a teenager, Sam hosts guests at her family’s traditional home, the Little House of the Firefly in Abruzzo, offering a warm welcome and insider tips on local culture, food, and hidden gems.
