Water in Rome: How to Put the ACEA ATO 2 Contract in Your Name

In a nutshell

Water in Rome is supplied by ACEA ATO 2 S.p.A. (Rome's water utility), the sole provider for the entire city and 111 municipalities in the metropolitan area. When you move into a new home, you need to put the contract in your name. If you do not, the bill stays in the previous tenant's name and you risk having the water cut off.

At a glance

Cost	Transfer (voltura): approx. €25–30 on your first bill. Reactivation (subentro): transfer + technician visit (~€30–50). New connection: free quote, from ~€300 upwards.
Timeline	Transfer/reactivation: within 5 working days. New connection: 15–30 working days.
Where in Rome	Online at ACEA Customer Area, freephone 800.130.335, or in-person offices (full list at acea.it/contatti)
Documents	Valid ID, Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID), proof of occupancy, previous account-holder's customer code, meter reading

Transfer, reactivation, or new connection: which applies to you?

There are three different situations — knowing which one is yours saves time.

Transfer (voltura): the meter is already there and the water is running; you just need to change the name on the account. This is the most common case when renting an apartment that was previously occupied. You will need the previous tenant's customer code, which appears on any old bill.

Reactivation (subentro): the meter is there but was shut off because the previous tenant cancelled the contract. The procedure is the same as a transfer, but ACEA sends a technician to physically reopen the meter. You need to be present or leave the meter accessible.

New connection: the property has never had a water meter — typically a new build. In this case you request a free quote first, and the process takes longer.

How to do a transfer, step by step

The quickest route is online, via the ACEA Customer Area or the MyAcea app (available on iOS and Android).

Before you even start, take a photo of the meter showing the current reading. This is your handover meter read and protects you from being charged for consumption during the transition period.

Log in to the Customer Area, select the transfer request, and upload your documents: valid ID, Codice Fiscale, registered lease (or deed of sale if you are the owner), the previous account-holder's customer code, the meter reading with date and time, and your IBAN if you want to set up direct debit.

ACEA will send you an email or SMS with the contract acceptance form. You sign it digitally (via OTP) or on paper, and the account is active within 5 working days.

If you prefer to speak to someone, the freephone number 800.130.335 is available Monday to Friday 8:00–18:00 and Saturday 8:00–13:00, free of charge from both landlines and mobiles.

Documents you need

For a transfer or reactivation:

• Valid identity document (ID card, passport, or permesso di soggiorno — residence permit for non-EU citizens — ACEA also accepts the post-office receipt for a pending renewal)
• Codice Fiscale (Italian tax ID — your personal 16-character code, used for almost everything)
• Previous account-holder's customer or account number (found on any old bill)
• Current meter reading
• Proof of occupancy: registered lease, deed of sale, or loan-for-use agreement (comodato)
• Full address of the supply point (street, number, staircase, floor, flat, postcode)
• Cadastral details of the property (sheet, parcel, sub-unit — found on a land-registry survey)
• IBAN for direct debit (optional but recommended)
• Email address and phone number

For a new connection you will also need: the building permit or construction authorisation, the certificate of habitability (certificato di agibilità), and a floor plan showing the meter location.

How to read the meter and why you should

ACEA issues a bill every four months. If you never submit a reading yourself, consumption is estimated, and you risk a large catch-up charge when the technician finally reads it properly.

The meter is usually at the building entrance gate, in the communal utilities room, or in the basement. Read only the black digits on the display — the red ones are decimals and are not reported.

You can submit a self-read via the Customer Area, the MyAcea app, the freephone 800.130.335 (automated system, available 24/7), or by SMS to the number shown on your bill.

Water social bonus: are you entitled to a discount?

If your ISEE (income-and-wealth indicator used to qualify for means-tested benefits) does not exceed €9,530 (or €20,000 for households with at least four dependent children), you are entitled to the bonus sociale idrico (water social bonus). This guarantees 18.25 cubic metres of free water per year for each household member.

You do not apply to ACEA directly. The process is automatic: go to a CAF (free assistance office for tax forms and benefits) or a Patronato (free union-run office helping with social-security and immigration paperwork), complete the DSU declaration to obtain your ISEE, and INPS (Italy's social-security agency) forwards the data to ACEA, which then applies the discount to your subsequent bills. That is all there is to it.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Delaying the transfer after you move in. If the water stays in the previous occupant's name and they stop paying, you risk a disconnection. You are fully entitled to request the transfer on the very day you get the keys.
2. Paying a middleman to activate the contract. The transfer is a procedure you do directly with ACEA at no charge for the service itself. No agency or paid intermediary is necessary.
3. Letting in technicians who show up unannounced. ACEA only sends technicians after a scheduled appointment communicated by SMS or email. If someone comes to the door claiming to be from ACEA without prior notice, ask to see their ID badge and immediately call the freephone 800.130.335 to verify.
4. Giving banking details over the phone. No ACEA representative will ever ask for account codes or banking details to "regularise" your supply. Hang up and call the freephone yourself.

Special cases

Short-term rental (less than 30 days)? The contract generally stays in the landlord's name and water is included in the rent. Check your rental agreement.

Your building has a single shared meter? Many historic buildings in Rome have only one meter: water is managed by the building administrator (amministratore di condominio) and split among residents according to their ownership shares (millesimi). In that case you do not sign an individual contract with ACEA.

You are a flatmate? If the flat has its own meter, the contract can be in one person's name (with a written cost-sharing agreement between flatmates) or held jointly.

Moving out with no one taking over? Request a supply termination from the Customer Area or by phone, report the final meter reading, and ACEA will send a technician to seal the meter within 7 days. You will receive a closing bill with any security deposit refunded.

Official sources

• ACEA S.p.A. — official website
• ACEA — Customer Area
• ACEA — Contacts and offices
• Gruppo ACEA
• ARERA — Water: regulations and bonuses

Legal references: D.Lgs. 152/2006 (Testo Unico Ambientale), Delibera ARERA 665/2017 (TICSI), Delibera ARERA 218/2016 (Bonus sociale idrico automatico), Carta del Servizio Idrico Integrato ATO 2 Lazio Centrale.