In the past decade, the European Investment Bank has committed €2bn to future-proofing Dutch water projects against climate change.
Dutch water company Evides has received a €200m loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to make its infrastructure and distribution network more resilient and sustainable for its customer base of more than 2.5 million people across three provinces in the Netherlands.
The EIB loan will contribute to Evides’ 2025-28 development plan, which focuses on boosting the quality of water sources in the Netherlands and improve its response to changes in demand.
“Most people probably don’t realise how good the drinking water in the country is, or how much investment it takes to keep that quality so high. The EIB has invested nearly €2bn in Dutch water projects in the last decade, supporting drinking water companies that serve nearly 90% of the population. Evides faces multiple challenges in the face of climate change and increased water use, and we’re happy to support them in future-proofing their facilities and network,” said EIB vice-president Robert de Groot.
Over the last 10 years the EIB has committed more than €27bn in financing for Dutch projects in sectors including research & development, sustainable mobility, drinking water, healthcare and SMEs.
Drier springs and summers
Drier springs and summers have led to structural water shortages and put the Dutch water system under increasing pressure in recent years, Wageningen University & Research (WUR) said in a report on its website in April. The summer of 2018 was one of the driest on record while a dry spring this year pushed groundwater levels to well below normal levels. Rivers, ditches and ponds receiving less water than normal can have serious consequences for nature and may adversely affect agricultural crops, according to WUR.
As part of the investment programme, Evides plans to upgrade its surface and groundwater production facilities, storage reservoirs and pumping stations and build new water transport mains and distribution networks. This includes the construction of a new drinking water treatment plant in the southern Dutch province of Zeeland and the expansion of facilities for the supply of processed water for industrial purposes.
Evides, the second-largest water company in the Netherlands, sources 80% of its drinking water from the river Maas, 16% from ground water and 4% from dune water.
“This loan is instrumental for carrying out our investment programme,” said Edgar Ruijgers, interim CEO of Evides. “The EIB’s trust in Evides confirms that we are a financially healthy company with a credible, sustainable investment strategy. With this support, we can continue to be a reliable supplier of drinking and industrial water 24/7.”
