UK water technology company Puraffinity has announced a new distribution agreement with Italian engineering firm Giotto Water to expand PFAS water treatment in Italy for municipal utilities and industrial users.
The agreement comes as European regulators tighten controls on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), often referred to as “forever chemicals”. The revised EU Drinking Water Directive introduced stricter monitoring and compliance requirements for PFAS in drinking water from January 2026.
Under the new partnership, Giotto Water will distribute Puraffinity’s advanced adsorption media technology and support system deployment across the Italian market. The collaboration is designed to provide water utilities and industrial operators with access to compact treatment systems capable of removing PFAS contamination efficiently.
Vincent Caillaud, Chief Executive Officer at Puraffinity, said regulatory pressure across Europe is driving demand for practical treatment solutions.
“Regulatory expectations for PFAS in water, including drinking water, are tightening across Europe, and Italy is no exception,” said Caillaud. “This distribution agreement with Giotto is an important milestone for Puraffinity. It strengthens our ability to serve Italian utilities and industrial water users with a complete solution, pairing differentiated adsorption media and practical deployment with ongoing operational support from Giotto’s established service organisation in Italy.”
PFAS Water Treatment in Italy and the EU regulatory shift
PFAS water treatment in Italy is becoming an increasing priority as European authorities respond to growing concerns over the persistence and health impacts of these synthetic chemicals.
PFAS are a large family of industrial compounds used in products such as firefighting foams, coatings and manufacturing processes. Because they break down very slowly in the environment, they can accumulate in soil and water sources and are now widely detected in groundwater and drinking water systems.
Water utilities across Europe are therefore assessing treatment options capable of removing PFAS effectively while maintaining operational efficiency. Advanced adsorption media has emerged as one of the technologies capable of capturing these contaminants from water streams.
Puraffinity has developed a specialised adsorbent material designed to selectively capture PFAS molecules, enabling compact treatment systems with shorter contact times and smaller physical footprints compared with some traditional approaches. According to the company, the technology is intended to support utilities, industries and environmental service providers dealing with emerging regulatory limits. The company’s technology platform focuses on developing engineered media capable of removing PFAS from complex water matrices while reducing operational costs and system size.
By combining this treatment media with Giotto Water’s installation, service and maintenance capabilities, the two companies aim to accelerate adoption of PFAS water treatment solutions across Italy.
Distribution partnership supports local deployment
Giotto Water, part of the Giotto Group, provides water and sludge treatment solutions to municipal and industrial clients across Italy. Through the agreement, the company will deliver project implementation, installation services and long-term operational support for PFAS treatment systems deployed using Puraffinity’s technology.
The companies say this combination of treatment media and local technical expertise is intended to simplify system integration for utilities and industrial operators responding to tightening PFAS regulations.
The partnership reflects a wider trend across the European water sector as utilities and technology providers scale up treatment capacity to address emerging contaminants.
For more news on global water contamination and treatment innovation, visit the H2O Global News water quality section.
