The Court of Cassation has dismissed a legal claim brought by a tourist against a luxury hotel in the Dolomites regarding the refusal to provide tap water.

最高法院駁回了一名遊客針對多洛米蒂一家豪華酒店的法律起訴，該訴訟涉及酒店拒絕提供自來水。

The litigation originated from a 2019 incident at the Hotel Sassongher in Corvara, where a guest on a half-board arrangement requested tap water during evening meals. Despite the guest's willingness to provide remuneration for the resource, the establishment consistently provided sealed 750ml bottles of mineral water priced at €7. The plaintiff contended that access to water constitutes a universal human right and an essential component of hospitality services, analogous to the provision of linens or toiletries. Consequently, she sought €2,700 in damages for alleged economic loss and emotional distress.

此訴訟源於 2019 年發生在科爾瓦拉 Sassongher 酒店的一起事件，當時一名選擇半食宿方案的房客在晚餐期間要求提供自來水。儘管該房客表示願意支付費用，但酒店堅持僅提供價格為 7 歐元的 750 毫升密封瓶裝礦泉水。原告主張，獲取水源屬於普世人權，且是餐旅服務的基本組成部分，如同提供床單或盥洗用品一樣。因此，她就所謂的經濟損失與精神痛苦請求 2,700 歐元的損害賠償。

Legal representation for the hotel, led by Silvio Belardi, argued that the establishment's policy of serving only sealed bottled water is standard for high-end venues. The judiciary, across three levels of the Italian legal system, concluded that no statutory obligation exists requiring venues to serve tap water to patrons. The court further noted that while running water remained accessible within the hotel premises, its provision within the dining area was discretionary.

由 Silvio Belardi 領軍的酒店法律代表辯稱，僅供應密封瓶裝水是高端場所的標準做法。義大利法律體系的三個級別法院均認定，目前沒有法定義務要求場所向顧客提供自來水。法院進一步指出，雖然酒店內仍有可使用之自來水設施，但在用餐區是否提供則屬於酒店的裁量權。

This judicial determination highlights a divergence in European regulatory frameworks. While the European Commission's Drinking Water Directive encourages the provision of free tap water to reduce bottled water consumption—potentially by 17%—it lacks the force of law. Consequently, mandates vary by jurisdiction; for instance, licensed venues in England and Wales, as well as establishments in Spain and Portugal, are legally required to provide free tap water upon request. France similarly mandates the provision of a 'carafe d’eau,' provided the request is phrased with linguistic precision. Conversely, in Italy, such provision remains rare and legally non-obligatory.

這次司法裁定凸顯了歐洲監管框架的差異。雖然歐盟委員會的《飲用水指令》鼓勵提供免費自來水以減少瓶裝水消費（潛在減少 17%），但該指令並不具備法律強制力。因此，各司法管轄區的強制要求有所不同；例如，英格蘭和威爾斯的持牌場所，以及西班牙和葡萄牙的機構，法律上要求在顧客要求時提供免費自來水。法國同樣要求提供「水瓶 (carafe d’eau)」，前提是要求必須在語言表達上精確。相反地，在義大利，此類提供情況依然罕見且在法律上並非強制。

The Italian judiciary has confirmed that the decision to provide tap water rests with individual business owners, maintaining the legality of the hotel's bottled-water-only policy.

義大利司法部門已確認，是否提供自來水由個別企業主決定，維持了該酒店「僅提供瓶裝水」政策的合法性。