Romania water project to receive EBRD funding

Public service operator SC Apa Canal 2000 will receive a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to modernise and upgrade water and wastewater services in Arges County, Romania.

The €11.8m loan will be provided under EU Cohesion Fund financing for Romania. It will be used to finance infrastructure for water treatment and distribution and wastewater collection and treatment in the towns of Costesti, Pitesti, Stefanesti and Topoloveni and surrounding areas.

The investments will help to increase access to and the quality of water and wastewater services in the service area, benefiting 250,000 people.

The EBRD Shareholder Special Fund will assist the regional operating companies through a framework-wide benchmarking programme as well as through procurement benchmarking.

EBRD managing director for infrastructure Thomas Maier said that the bank is proud today to be able to announce the first investment in municipal and environmental infrastructure in 2014.

"It shows our commitment to continuing the efforts to improve urban infrastructure, particularly water services, in Romania, and in helping the country to absorb EU cohesion funds," Maier added.

The EBRD loan is the 21st investment under the Bank’s Romania EU Cohesion Funds Water Co-Financing Framework, launched in 2010.