2018

Italy has 56.4% of its generated load compliant to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC).

In 2018, Italy counted 3034 agglomerations generating ≥2,000 p.e. each, of which:

• 2055 agglomerations, generating 43,987,893 p.e. of waste water, complied with the requirements of the Directive; and
• 979 agglomerations, generating 34,036,249 p.e. of waste water, did not comply with the requirements of the Directive.

The waste water load generated in Italy in 2018 was reported to be 78,024,142 p.e.

In 2018, Italy had not yet reached the target for collecting and treating waste water to fully comply with the Directive.

• 0.7 % of the waste water load must still be collected (approximately 573,700 p.e.); and
• 12.2% of the collected waste water load must still undergo secondary treatment in line with the requirements of the Directive (approximately 9,116,900 p.e.),
• 6.4% of the collected waste water load from agglomerations generating >10,000 p.e. and discharging into sensitive areas must still undergo more stringent treatment in line with the requirements of the Directive (approximately 2,244,400 p.e.).

3.9% of waste water load is addressed by means of individual or other appropriate systems (IAS) i.e. non-centralised sanitation systems (approximately 3,053,800 p.e.).

For the 3034 agglomerations, there are 5265 urban waste water treatment plants, with a total design capacity of 101,856,000 p.e., of which:

• 1083 plants are active but not connected to collecting system,
• 929 plants equipped with technology only for primary and secondary treatment,
• 3253 plants equipped with technology for more stringent treatment than secondary.

For the 5265 urban waste water treatment plants, there are 1554 discharges without treatment with a total load of 1,746,896 p.e.

Based on the 2018 data, it seems that the load generated is lower than the design capacity.

Compliance rate by Article

Notice : This table contains only agglomerations with expired deadlines.

*The total [No of agglomerations] includes only those agglomerations that must provide secondary treatment / or more stringent treatment than secondary before discharging waste water from their treatment plants.

**The total [p.e. waste water load] is the sum of the load of all of the agglomerations that must provide secondary treatment or more stringent treatment than secondary before discharging waste water from their treatment plants.

Data source for table: Register, summary of MS data

73 agglomerations were not taken into account in calculations of the compliance rate for Article 4 because the agglomerations use IAS for more than 98% of the collected load.

2484 agglomerations were not taken into account in the calculation of the compliance rate for Article 5 because these agglomerations generate ≤10,000 p.e. each.

Distance to target

*The target [p.e.] for secondary treatment represents the waste water load (collected and not collected) from all agglomerations that must be subject to secondary treatment, regardless of whether or not the agglomeration complies with Article 3.

** The target for more stringent treatment represents the waste water load (collected and not collected) from all agglomerations generating >10,000 p.e. and discharging into sensitive areas (regardless of whether or not the agglomeration complies with Article 3).

Data source for table: Register, summary of MS data

The expected annual investment costs per capita for installing and renewing waste water collecting systems and treatment plants is 6 EUR/inhabitant/year.

The investment needs for ensuring adequate urban waste water collection and treatment, i.e. compliance with the Directive, as estimated by the national authorities and included in their national plan, are at the level of EUR 7639.94 million for the period 2020-2030. This covers works on treatment plants, with the forecasted investment cost of EUR 6126.52 million (2020-2030) , and works on collecting systems and/or IAS, with a forecasted investment cost of EUR 1513.42 million (2020-2030).However, as indicated in a recent OECD study, Italy would need to increase their investments further to reach and maintain compliance. The OECD projected that the financing needs by 2030 (total cumulative additional expenditures for sanitation) is EUR 34.2 billion.

For the reference year 2018, Italy reported the production of 387,289 tonnes of sludge. The sludge is mainly re-used for others (31 %) and soil and agriculture (24 %) or disposed for others (20 %), incineration (13 %) and landfill (11 %).Data on wastewater reuse percentage are available only for a few regions (not at national level) and vary from 0.28% to 5%. Wastewater is mainly reused in agriculture and for environmental purposes (e.g. improvement of water bodies qualitative status).

At 92 discharge points, treated waste water is reused for irrigation or infiltration or others.

Storm water overflows case was reported on 56 agglomerations for a total of 1,171,939 m3