Carlo Gubellini, mayor of Castenaso, near Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region, said thousands of gallons of water are wasted every day through the double bath, which many hairdressers believe is beneficial and therefore the double rinse. He is believed to be the only mayor in Italy to take such a measure, which would include checks and fines of up to € 500 for lounges that violate the rule, as Italy battles drought during intense, prolonged heat. Castenaso, which has a population of 16,000, hosts 10 hairdressers and barbershops. “If we multiply the amount of water used by each customer, we are talking about thousands of liters a day,” Gubellini told Corriere della Sera. “Castenaso is small: imagine what it means in terms of water consumption in big cities. “We issued the order on Saturday, as the hairdressers are closed on Sundays and Mondays, to give them plenty of time to adjust.” A manual accompanying the measurement guidelines states that 13 liters of water per minute flow from an open tap and that it takes at least 20 liters to rinse one’s hair twice. Gubellini said the rule, which was in effect until the end of September, had gone well. “The feedback has been positive,” he said. “This decree is not intended to oppress, but to empower the people.” However, as the Castenaso lounges reopened on Tuesday morning, some were not so impressed. “It looks a little ridiculous,” said Katia, who works at Nuova Equipe. “It’s hard not to be able to wash and rinse twice, as some of the products we use require it, as well as hair types, especially if the client’s hair is quite dirty.” Gubellini said he hoped he could change the measure before it expired, but stressed that the situation was “really worrying”. “Emilia-Romagna has enough water reserves needed for agricultural land until June 29, and after July things could get drastically worse,” he said. Mayors of other Italian cities and towns have also imposed water containment measures, including in Milan, where public fountains have been closed. Areas in northern Italy are suffering the most from the prolonged drought of Italy’s longest river, the Po, following heavy rains and snowfall this winter.
