Drinking water

Water purification is a physico-chemical process that consists of removing contaminants from raw water to obtain water suitable for normal domestic consumption, for irrigating fields or for industrial uses (e.g. for use by food factories).

Article 80 of Legislative Decree 152/2006 (Environmental Regulations) stipulates that fresh surface water, in order to be used or intended for water purificationare classified into categories A1, A2, A3, depending on their physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics. Category A1 waters are the best, while category A3 waters (the worst) require the most stringent and invasive treatments. Depending on their category, surface waters must undergo the following treatments:

▪ Category A1: simple physical treatment and disinfection
▪ Category A2: normal physical and chemical treatment and disinfection
▪ Category A3: physical and chemical hard treatment, refining and disinfection