• 04 Mar 2016

The problems facing the sector in terms of investments, economics and employment are reflected in the sheer scale of the figures: to reach standard levels of infrastructures and services, Italy will require investments of around 65 billion euros over the next thirty years (source AEEG). Investments in the water sector at a national level currently stand at just under 30 euros per inhabitant per year, well below the annual requirement estimated at 80 euros per inhabitant.


The areas requiring most urgent investment are sewerage and wastewater treatment, network replacement or extraordinary maintenance and protection of reservoirs and aquifers. A large part of these resources need to be allocated to southern Italy, where the delays are most severe in terms of infrastructure and management. There are many factors behind these failings: from difficulties in accessing funding to slow authorisation processes, as well as the constraints on the public administration’s budgets imposed by the Stability Pact.

Further critical aspects occur where the implementing bodies are small or medium-sized municipalities. Furthermore, highly complex systems entail high management and maintenance costs subsequent to implementation. As of December 2012, the Authority’s resolutions have stabilised the tariff system and introduced appropriate technical principles and clear rules that safeguard the financial viability of administrations and enable investors to plan major interventions with confidence.