Drinking water pipeline repaired Tourists allowed back to Capri after entry ban

The repair of the water pipe from the Italian mainland to Capri went faster than expected: drinking water is flowing onto the island again. Tourists can breathe a sigh of relief.

Tourists have been allowed back onto the Italian Mediterranean island of Capri since Sunday. Following problems with the drinking water supply to the island, which is popular with holidaymakers, the central pipeline from the mainland has been repaired - by Sunday night, water was once again flowing regularly through the pipeline to Capri. The island's mayor, Paolo Falco, therefore lifted an official decree banning tourists from entering the island.

Following a fault in the water pipe that supplies Capri with water from the mainland, the supply to the island in the Gulf of Naples had collapsed on Saturday. Only residents of the island were allowed to go ashore. In this emergency situation, the island had no water supplies that could meet the needs of residents and tourists, according to a decree. Water was only supplied from local reservoirs.

Long queues at the ticket counters

After massive pressure from hoteliers and tour operators, Falco issued a second decree that exempted tourists with reservations for hotels that had sufficient water supplies. After the tourist ban was imposed, long queues formed at the ticket counters on the mainland for ferries to Capri. Ships that had already set off for Capri were asked to return by the authorities.

According to the prefect of Naples, Michele Di Bari, the reason for the fault in the water pipe was an air bubble in the pipe. The trapped air had blocked the flow. According to Di Bari, the water supplier responsible, Gori, worked flat out to repair the problem and was able to fix it late in the evening.