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At the Water Innovation Summit in Bari, the two companies signed a memorandum for the development of collaborations and projects concerning water resource protection, technological development and regulatory aspects pertaining to the sector

Today at the Fiera del Levante Convention Centre in Bari, during the Water Innovation Summit, Acea and Acquedotto Pugliese (AQP), the two leading Italian operators in the sector of integrated water services, signed a memorandum for the joint development of collaboration projects on the issue of water resource protection and technological innovation. The objective of the agreement, executed by Acea’s Chief Executive Officer Fabrizio Palermo and the Chairman of AQP Domenico Laforgia, is the sharing of respective expertise in the field of water services, in order to equip our domestic infrastructures with effective and technologically advanced management and operational solutions.

With the signing of the memorandum, which has a duration of two years, an exchange of information and data is initiated, alongside an exploration of potential collaborations in the following areas:

• Projects and investments, to evaluate collaborations on initiatives for the development of the two groups both in Italy and overseas, with special reference to the safety enhancement of water resource procurement and protection;
• Technological development, for the implementation of joint initiatives and programmes, as well as the sharing of innovations and best practices designed to maximise operating efficiency;
  
• Regulation, in order to contribute to the legislative and regulatory enhancement of the Italian water system, with a view to making it even more capable of dealing with the huge challenges represented by drought and climate change.
  

For the purpose of achieving these objectives, Acea and AQP will schedule intercompany work groups which, in addition to collaborating on a day-to-day basis through exchanges of information, will hold quarterly meetings. The possible further initiatives that will emerge from the working groups and the exchange of information will form the object of specific subsequent operating agreements, for which the management and economic procedures will be jointly defined from time to time. The memorandum does not provide for the payment of fees and does not give rise to any obligation for either of the two parties.

Acea’s CEO Fabrizio Palermo observed: "We are delighted to sign this agreement between Acea and Acquedotto Pugliese, namely between the leading water sector operator (9.5 million residents served) and the second largest operator (4.1 million residents served), since it will give a strong strategic boost in a vital sector at the service of the country. This new alliance will exploit our reciprocal strengths for the innovation of the water system, ensuring the highest technological standards. A crucial element is the common vision for the sector, at national level, to propose to the institutions. The priorities of this partnership include the need to take full advantage of investment opportunities and expansion plans inside and outside of Italy".

AQP’s Chairman Domenico Laforgia commented: “Acquedotto Pugliese’s experience is cutting edge, not just because we manage the largest public aqueduct in Europe, but also for the role being played by our group as regards the smart use of the resource via an industrial, management and infrastructure programme, the results of which can be clearly seen.” Chairman Laforgia continued: “The situation of the water procurement sources, which already today involves large water transfers between territories, will soon concern the whole of Europe. It is therefore essential, in order to overcome the difficulties, to work as a team, to pool knowledge into a single system, acting on a scale that can no longer be only regional. On these bases, we are proud to take part in this initiative with Acea, which mobilises human, intellectual and technological resources, thereby enhancing development, safeguarding the most essential resource to the life of us all”.