Wars of the 'noses': drought threatens Rome's eternal drinking fountains

Jul 07, 2017 1271

Baking summer heat has forced Rome to close some of the drinking fountains known as "big noses", or "nasoni", that constantly gush fresh water on thousands of street corners, causing a public outcry. Hit by the soaring temperatures drying out southern Europe, the Italian capital has started turning off up to 30 of the 2,800 distinctive curved metal taps every day, dismaying Romans and prompting concerns homeless people would become dehydrated.

Brandishing a plastic bottle in the central Piazza Venezia, city resident Carmelo Teti asked, "How can you take away fresh water from tourists who walk and want to refresh themselves?" "When I go around I fill up this bottle with water because to buy mineral water costs and I cannot afford it," he said.

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SOURCE: http://in.reuters.com

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