EIB to Fund Belgian Sewage Project

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is to extend €168m ($223.9m) to Belgium to expand and upgrade wastewater and stormwater treatment systems in the Brussels-Capital Region (BCR).

The loan will cover nearly half the investments planned up to 2014 in the Belgian capital.

The investment is part of the country’s €1.5bn ($2bn) funding earmarked for the next 20 years to upgrade the entire sewerage system and provide the 19 municipalities of BCR with a modern and efficient stormwater network.

BCR has a 2,000km sewerage network carrying wastewater and stormwater to two treatment plants located to the south and north of Brussels, of which 500km is in poor condition.

Improvements to the stormwater network will reduce flooding in some municipalities.