Low tariffs and organised crime blight Italy’s water sector

• From: Vol 3, Issue 4 (April 2002)
• Category: General
• Region: Europe
• Country: Italy

Companies with an interest in the Italian water sector have been holding their breath ever since the Galli Law was passed in 1994. When that complex piece of legislation was finally approved, it seemed inevitable that the country would embark on a complete overhaul of water management. However, eight years later Italy is still far from realising its ambition of setting up an integrated, cost-effective, modern water system.

It would be unfair to underestimate the difficulties involved in carrying out the true revolution that the Galli Law demanded of Italy’s water sector. Once the law is fully implemented, water authorities will be scaled down from the current 8000 or so – mostly tiny organisations run locally by a few members of the municipal authorities – to a more manageable ...