Italian experts recently proposed an innovative new solution to Venice’s long-time problem with invading seawater and the slow sinking of the island the city sits on. Instead of trying to pump the sea out of the city, these experts want to pump it in.
The plan would involve pumping huge quantities of seawater into the ground below Venice. The water would then make the sand beneath the city expand, potentially lifting it by 30 centimetres in ten years.
It has long been evident that the watery city has been sinking under the increasing sea levels and high tides of the Adriatic.
The Italian government is currently spending 4.5 billion euros on a controversial project that would create floodgates across the entrance of the lagoon in which the city is located to keep the sea somewhat at bay.
Although many deem the latest idea to be mere science fiction, Venice’s city officials have taken interest and are seriously looking into the possibility of lifting the island with water.
