European support for drinking water infrastructure in Zuid-Holland
The European Investment Bank (EIB i) has concluded a loan agreement with regional water supply company Oasen Drinkwater in the Netherlands. The €70 million loan will be guaranteed under the European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI i), part of the Investment Plan for Europe of the European Commission i.
With this financing, Oasen will carry out part of its investment programme for the years 2017-2022. This includes a major upgrade of distribution networks, as well as the renewal of treatment plants, reservoirs and pumping stations. As the distribution area of Oasen present challenges due to the characteristics of the soil, significant investment is needed for the upgrading and maintenance of the Zuid-Holland drinking water distribution and supply infrastructure.
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella i, said: "We are determined to move towards a more circular economy and manage our resources, including water, more sustainably and efficiently. EFSI investment for Oasen will support the upgrade of the drinking water supply and distribution network in the province of South Holland for about 750,000 people. By encouraging industry to innovate, we make it more competitive, and boost growth of a sector which already employs around a million people in Europe".
“This is the first operation in the Dutch water sector where we use the support of the Juncker Plan, as it allows the EIB to provide attractive financial terms tailored to Oasen’s needs.” said EIB Vice-President Pim van Ballekom. “The project has a specific focus on adaptation to climate change, as part of the expenditures will be used to develop new purification techniques needed for the ground water due to increasing salinity.”
Prof. dr. ir. Walter van der Meer, CEO of Oasen added: “To provide our customers with reliable drinking water, Oasen Drinkwater N.V. invests continuously in the treatment plants, the distribution network and its knowledge. Thanks to the EIB loan we will definitely be able to roll out our investment plans for the coming six years.”
Background information:
The European Investment Bank, the European Union’s long-term lending institution, is committed to supporting implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement and backing climate related investment around the world. In the past year, the EIB has made a record amount of EUR 2.56bn available for projects in the Netherlands alone. The EIB, active in more than 130 countries, is the world’s largest financier of climate related investment and largest single issuer of green bonds. A quarter of all EIB financing supports climate action and the EIB is committed to providing USD 100 billion for climate related investment in the five years up to 2020.
The Investment Plan for Europe, the Juncker Plan i, focuses on boosting investments to create jobs and growth by making smarter use of new and existing financial resources, removing obstacles to investment and providing visibility and technical assistance to investment projects. The European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI) is the central pillar of the Juncker Plan. It provides a first loss guarantee, allowing the EIB to invest in more, often riskier, projects. So far, the projects and agreements approved for financing under the EFSI are expected to mobilise more than EUR 250 billion in investments and support over 528,000 SMEs across all 28 Member States.
Oasen Drinkwater N.V. is the regional water supply company for part of the province of Zuid-Holland. The company ensures that its 765.000 clients are supplied with impeccable drinking water every day. Public health is one of the company’s main focuses.