Italy’s highest court has ruled that being served tap water at a restaurant or hotel is not a consumer right, ending a legal battle that began in 2019 when a tourist was refused tap water at a five-star hotel in the Dolomites.
The woman, who was on a half-board deal at the hotel in Corvara, Badia, repeatedly asked for tap water with her evening meal, even offering to pay. Instead, she was presented each night with a 0.75-litre bottle of mineral water costing €7.
She took legal action, arguing that water is a universal human right and that the free provision of a minimum vital quantity is necessary to meet essential needs. The first and second-instance courts dismissed her case, and she appealed to the supreme court of cassation.
The supreme court confirmed that no law in Italy obliges restaurant managers or hoteliers to serve tap water, and dismissed the case. The woman had sought €2,700 in compensation for economic damage and emotional distress.
Asking for free tap water in Italian restaurants is generally considered a breach of etiquette, though some establishments now offer filtered water in response to growing environmental concerns.
