In Italy, the national emission standards for wastewater discharge are included in the D. Lgs. no. 152/2006. Regarding the water reuse, the Italian regulation derives from the California guidelines and is included as regulations in the national legislation (Ministerial Decree 185/2003). This standard refers to the reuse of urban and industrial wastewater effluents. In the frame of water reuse for agricultural irrigation, reclaimed water could be used for all crops destined for human/livestock consumption and for non-food crops. The use of reclaimed water on crops that might be consumed raw is only allowed in the presence of irrigation systems designed to avoid direct contact of the water with the fruits and edible parts of the crops.

Regarding Managed Aquifer Recharge using drainage water, in italy they are considered as surface water and are regulated by Ministerial Decree n. 100/2016 (Ministry of the Environment, Land and Sea) establishing the criteria for the issue of authorizations for the managed recharge of aquifers for which the use of surface water and groundwater may be allowed (art. 3). In case of use of surface water as recharge water, it must comply with the quality standards as indicated in table 1/A and table 1/B of ANNEX 1 to Part III of the D. Lgs. n. 152/2006 (Environmental standards) (art. 3, comma 2).