Campania launches €400 million tender for Sarno River dredging and rehabilitation, marking a major step in environmental recovery
Executive summary: The Campania region published a tender for dredging and ecological rehabilitation of the Sarno River, with a maximum value of €400 million. The project represents one of Italy’s largest environmental infrastructure investments in recent years, targeting the full ecological recovery of a river long synonymous with industrial pollution.
Who is involved: Campania Region (project authority), Italian Ministry of the Environment (oversight), environmental contractors and engineering firms (bidders), local municipalities along the Sarno basin (stakeholders).
Likely next: Bid submission deadline in Q4 2026; contract award expected by early 2027; works to commence mid-2027 with a 36-month timeline.
The Campania region has issued a public tender for dredging and ecological rehabilitation of the Sarno River, once labeled Europe’s most polluted waterway. The project, valued at €400 million, aims to complete the river’s environmental recovery through sediment removal, bank stabilization, and ecosystem restoration. This follows years of prior cleanup efforts that reduced industrial discharges and improved water quality. The initiative reflects sustained regional commitment to transforming the Sarno into a model of industrial river rehabilitation.
Timeline
- — Fiume Sarno, via a dragaggio e riqualificazione con una gara da 400 milioni (Il Sole 24 Ore — Economia)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- Bid submission deadline: November 30, 2026
- Contract award announcement: February 2027
- Groundbreaking ceremony: Q2 2027
Sectors affected
- Environmental engineering
- Water treatment and dredging
- Ecological restoration
- Public works construction
Regulatory implications
- Compliance with EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) for river basin management
- Alignment with Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) Mission 2: Green Revolution
- Monitoring by ARPAC (Campania Environmental Agency) under regional environmental law
Historical parallels
- Rhine River cleanup (1980s–2000s), Germany/Switzerland/NL
- Thames River rehabilitation (1960s–Present), UK
- Cuyahoga River recovery (1970s–Present), USA
Key entities
Sources
- Fiume Sarno, via a dragaggio e riqualificazione con una gara da 400 milioni — Il Sole 24 Ore — Economia