About Piana degli Albanesi Dam

The Piana degli Albanesi reservoir is one of the oldest in Sicily, completed in 1923 to supply drinking water to the city of Palermo. Located near the Arbëreshë community of Piana degli Albanesi — a town preserving Albanian language and Byzantine rite traditions since the 15th century — the earthfill dam at 50 metres holds 31 million cubic metres. For decades it was the primary water source for the Palermo metropolitan area, serving as evidence of early 20th-century engineering investment in Sicilian water infrastructure. The reservoir sits in a fertile elevated plain at about 720 metres above sea level, surrounded by agricultural land where winter wheat and market gardens have been cultivated for centuries. Today it remains part of the Palermo supply system alongside more modern sources, and it continues to support local irrigation. The surrounding landscape is one of the most scenic in western Sicily, with the reservoir reflecting the outline of Monte Kumeta to the south. The dam's age means its infrastructure requires ongoing maintenance vigilance.