Luxembourg, 17/09/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has just granted Aquafin, the company responsible for the management of water facilities and treatment in Flanders (Belgium), a new loan of 75 million EUR. This operation comes under a funding agreement of 250 million EUR concluded in September 2002. An initial 100 million EUR was made available to Aquafin at the time. This ninth loan, structured with the help of Dexia Belgium, brings EIB support of the programme designed and carried out by Aquafin to 722 million since 1994.
This ambitious investment project covers construction and modernisation of sewers, pumping stations and used water treatment facilities over the whole of Belgium's Flemish Region. It will eventually serve a population of 5.8 million. The company Aquafin, set up in 1990 on the initiative of the Flemish government, today manages 200 purification stations and some 3670 km of used water sewers. In a press release, the EIB said that this investment will have a positive effect on the quality of water from the Escaut to the Meuse, and, thus, a significant impact on the waters of the North Sea. It subscribes to the international action of the "1985 Convention on the North Sea" targeting a reduction in pollutants. It will help preserve the joint heritage of many countries of the Union, and help the Flemish Region to fulfil its obligations on European rules (directive on urban used water). This project is typical of environmental actions supported by the EIB to contribute to environmental protection. The Bank's commitments in these field over the last five years have totalled 32.3 billion EUR.