Acea Ato 5 reports

Favorable tariffs in the event of a hidden leak in the home plumbing system.

After receiving a particularly high water bill, customers may discover a leak of which they were not aware – possibly because it did not show above surface – in their home plumbing system.
This is a typical case of hidden leak, for which customers may request the water service provider Acea Ato 5 to recalculate and amend their bill (technically it is referred to as “tariff depenalization”).
More in general, a hidden leak is defined as a physical leak in a part of the plumbing system located along the line after the meter reading device, therefore part of the customer’s private system, which causes a water leakage undetectable using the normal diligence with which customers are required to take care of their property. The hidden leak is not visible above surface and therefore undetectable and can be identified only after closing all taps and checking the reading on the meter.
In these cases, customers may request that their bill, which includes the consumption of water caused by the leak, is recalculated. However, the leak and any repairs must be verified by the provider.
To request the tariff depenalization, customers must submit a specific online application (the form can be found on the website), through one of the available channels (website, MyAcea, App for iOS and Android), without the need to go personally to a help desk.
The cost of any repairs shall always be met by the customer, who may also aways arrange for them to be carried out if the Provider is not able to intervene within 24 hours from them reporting the issue.
When carrying out repairs before the Provider is able to inspect the issue, customers are advised to take photographs of both the leak and the repairs.
If the application is accepted, the depenalization will apply only to the aqueduct service, based on the type of supply and the regularity of meter reading attempts. As for the sewage and water treatment services (where applicable), customers will pay only based on their annual average consumption.
Also, importantly, customers must provide Acea Ato 5 the actual meter reading at the time the repairs are carried out, in order to allow for the correct recalculation of the bill.
As for the aqueduct service (whether the meter is accessible or not, whether any attempts to read the meter were made or not, or a meter reading was submitted by the customer or not), customers shall pay:
1) the average yearly consumption at the normal tariff;
2) the consumption exceeding their annual average (presumably caused by the leak) at half the normal tariff for a maximum period of 6 months.
Only in the case of inaccessible meters and following regular attempts to read the meter by Acea Ato 5, failed for reasons not imputable to the Provider, customers shall pay:
1) the average yearly consumption at the normal tariff;
2) the consumption exceeding their annual average for the entire period from the last valid reading to the date of the report of the hidden leak, at half the normal tariff.