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EBRD finances modern water and wastewater infrastructure in Braila county, Romania
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EBRD lends 14.2 million euros to the public utility in Braila county, Romania -
Loan to finance the modernization of Braila County’s water and sewage infrastructure -
Project, co-financed with the European Union, aims to improve local access to water
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is supporting improved access to water and wastewater services in Romaniaof Braila County, granting a loan of up to 14.2 million euros to SC Compania de Utilitati Publice Dunarea SA Braila, the county’s public services provider.
The loan will be granted together with a co-investment from the European Union (EU) under its Infrastructure Operational Program for Romania.
The financing follows nine previous loans to Romanian counties provided under the EBRD’s Sustainable Water Infrastructure Facility to Support Transition (SWIFT), which builds on the Bank’s long-term work to improve services and help align the sector with EU laws, policies and practices. .
To date, the EBRD has financed 25 water operators in Romania, providing a total of almost €450 million in loans, in addition to almost €5 billion of EU funding for the country’s water and wastewater facilities.
The EBRD investment, together with EU funds, will allow utility company Braila Country to complete a €240.8 million investment program. This will extend its coverage of drinking water supply and wastewater collection and treatment services in line with EU standards, bringing the necessary services to the county’s smaller municipalities and localities.
As a result, just under 200,000 residents, including those living in rural and underserved areas, will benefit from greater access to water and wastewater treatment services.
The Braila County utility is also expected to benefit from these investments, as improvements to water and wastewater infrastructure will significantly reduce water losses and increase connection rates to water and wastewater networks by 2027. The project will also address the low representation of women in the sector with training to encourage their recruitment and retention.
The main activity of the company Braila, an EBRD client since 1997, is the management of water resources, including the distribution and treatment of water and wastewater services for the city of Braila, as well as for three other locations (Ianca, Faurei and Insuratei ) and 41 smaller rural communities in Braila County.
The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Romania. To date, the Bank has invested almost 11 billion euros in 525 projects across the country.