EIB Supports De Watergroep’s €350M Initiative to Modernize and Expand Flanders’ Drinking Water Network

EIB Supports De Watergroep’s €350M Initiative to Modernize and Expand Flanders’ Drinking Water Network

(IN BRIEF) Flemish water utility De Watergroep has secured a €350 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to modernize Flanders’ drinking water infrastructure. The funding supports a comprehensive 2023-2038 plan aimed at reducing water leakage, expanding the network by 800 kilometers, and improving resilience to climate-related challenges. EIB and De Watergroep aim to ensure sustainable water supply for over 3.3 million residents, with a particular focus on upgrading aging pipelines and deploying sensor technology to detect leaks.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 15-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — De Watergroep, the Flemish water utility, has secured a €350 million loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to fund its extensive 2023-2038 infrastructure investment plan aimed at modernizing Flanders’ drinking water system. This financing will enable De Watergroep to overhaul aging infrastructure, extend its distribution network by 800 kilometers, and implement measures to combat water leakage and reduce energy use, bolstering the environmental sustainability of its operations.

As part of this support, De Watergroep has initially drawn €200 million from the EIB, covering nearly half of its 2023-2028 investment program. This program prioritizes renewing old pipelines, installing sensors for leak detection, and adapting the water system to mitigate climate-related risks, such as prolonged dry spells and extreme weather patterns.

EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot emphasized the importance of water security and climate resilience in Belgium, stating, “We are pleased to partner with De Watergroep in ensuring reliable, safe drinking water for Flanders, especially as climate challenges intensify.”

De Watergroep CEO Hans Goossens highlighted that the loan is essential to the utility’s efforts to make the infrastructure “future-proof,” ensuring that over 3.3 million customers in Flanders have a dependable and sustainable water supply. The investment also supports a proactive approach to reducing water loss by upgrading nearly 3,000 kilometers of pipeline and expanding the deployment of connected sensors to detect and respond to leaks more effectively.

With its renewed focus on sustainable water management, De Watergroep is working to secure reliable water access across Flanders while addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

Background information:

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the EU institution for long-term loans. Its shares are held by the 27 EU Member States, with 5.2% owned by Belgium. The EIB makes long-term financing available for sound investments that contribute towards the EU’s policy objectives. In 2023 the EIB provided over €2.1 billion in financing for Belgian projects.

De Watergroep is responsible for the supply of drinking water in large parts of Flanders, and is wholly owned by the regional government, and by the municipalities in which it delivers drinking water. The service area of the Watergroep has a combined population of about 3.3 million inhabitants, covering 177 municipalities in four of the five Flemish provinces. In 2023, drinking water production was about 125 million m3, coming from 91 different production locations. Through Riopact, the company is a partner for municipal waste- and rainwater management, whereas subsidiary Azulatis offers innovative tailor-made water solutions to businesses.

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Tim Smit
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+352 4379 – 89076

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SOURCE: European Investment Bank