Italian Consumers Sue Over Arsenic in Water

ROME—The consumer advocacy group Codacons said Jan. 10 it has filed a lawsuit in the Lazio regional court (Tar) asking it to order the regional government of Lazio to pay up to €450 million ($600 million) for damages to residents resulting from unsafe levels of arsenic in drinking water. A court date has not been set, and the two sides could reach an agreement in arbitration or the lawsuit could be disallowed.

But if brought to court, it would be by far Italy’s largest class action case for environmental and health reasons, which have been allowed only since a 2006 ...