Two Italian MEPs have asked the European Commission whether Italy is correctly applying the Water Framework Directive in relation to the planned construction of a new incinerator in Rome, warning that the chosen site may endanger drinking water resources. Dario Tamburrano (The Left) and Ignazio Roberto Marino (Verts/ALE) submitted a parliamentary question on 9 July 2026, raising concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving the multi-utility company ACEA, which manages the water network and also heads the consortium building the incinerator.
The MEPs note that the site had been off-limits to waste treatment plants until November 2022 because it was included in the Lazio Region's environmental restrictions system as part of the process of drawing the boundaries of the protection area for the Laurentino water wells, which supply drinking water to the town of Ardea. In March 2025, the Lazio Region decided to halt the protection area mapping procedure at the request of ACEA, which cited the 2016 discovery of chlorine-based pollutants in the aquifer and the possibility of switching to other water sources. The MEPs argue that ACEA's request does not address existing damage to the wells and could expose the aquifer to new pollution, while also constituting a conflict of interest.
The question references two ongoing EU infringement procedures against Italy (INFR (2025) 2207 and INFR (2026) 2038) and two similar cases involving biodigesters on the outskirts of Rome, one of which is under appeal before the Court of Justice of the European Union. The MEPs ask the Commission to clarify whether Italy's actions comply with the Water Framework Directive. The Commission typically has six weeks to respond, and its answer will signal its stance on the compatibility of the incinerator project with EU water protection rules.