The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has announced funding for a further water and waste-water project in Romania. This time, Satu Mare in North West Romania will be the beneficiary of European funding to upgrade water systems.

The EBRD has granted a EUR 7.8 million loan to the regional investment program, which is co-financed by EU cohesion funds and values in total EUR 126.4 million.

Water utility company S.C. Apaserv Satu Mare S.A will receive the loan and the upgrade is expected to reduce water losses, improve efficiency and bring the water systems into line with EU environmental directives. “The EBRD is committed to improving urban infrastructure, particularly water services, in Romania and helping the country to absorb EU cohesion funds. This loan will enable the company to modernise water and wastewater infrastructure in seven urban agglomerations of Satu Mare,” said EBRD Director for Municipal and Environmental Infrastructure Jean-Patrick Marquet.

According to Apaserv, the project will newly connect more than 15,000 people in the area to the water system and “half of the county’s 390,000 inhabitants will benefit from improved water and sewerage services,” said Ioan Leitner, Director of the utility company S.C. Apaserv.

The loan is part of the EBRD's Romanian EU Cohesion Funds Water Co-Financing Framework. Apaserv Satu Mare is the 13th company in Romania to receive funding for a water services upgrade under the Framework. So far the EBRD has invested EUR 200 million in Romania's water systems, helping to mobilize over EUR 1 billion of EU funding.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com