RIJEKA WATER INFRA IMPROVEMENTS (SPL 20140375)

The project concerns among others, the construction and rehabilitation of the wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure in Rijeka's agglomeration. More specifically, it involves networks, pumping stations, storm water overflows and a new wastewater treatment plant replacing the old, obsolete facility. It will also support the improvement works on the drinking water supply network to reduce losses from 30% to 23%.

The main objective is to comply with the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive and Water Framework Directive. The project will contribute to Environmental Protection and Natural Resource Efficiency.

The project aims at supporting investments in water and sanitation infrastructure, in order to improve the coverage, quality and resilience of integrated water services in several regions across Croatia. In doing so, the projects will contribute to ensuring compliance with key European policy and regulations in the water sector, also with national water legislation, thereby supporting the Bank's Policy Objective on Sustainable Energy and Natural Resources. The projects will also contribute towards the Bank's Policy Objective of Climate Action and Environmental Sustainability. The projects will address a number of market failures including those associated with unaccounted for externalities and information failures, generating environmental and public health benefits, notably through a more rational use of water and energy resources, improvements in the quality of recipient waters and improved resilience to the impacts of climate change. The proposed investments will increase employment opportunities, and will also contribute to improve the attractiveness of Croatia as a sustainable touristic destination. Finally, the project will create economic opportunities for the population and local businesses in a less developed region according to EU Cohesion Policy, thus contributing to the EU's economic social and territorial cohesion. These benefits would not be realised to the same extent without public intervention. JASPERS contribution with technical expertise and advice has been made available to the Promoter.

The EIB's involvement will facilitate the absorption of EU Structural funds by securing national co-financing contributions of EU funded projects in Croatia. The EIB financing provides an essential financial contribution in the form of financial advantage that is currently not available in the market.

The project's components will contribute to ensure compliance with key EU directives in the water sector notably the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EC) and the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). Where and if applicable, the requirements of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU as amended by 2014/52/EU and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) Directive 2001/42/EC will be respected. The promoter will have to provide the EIB the non-technical summary of the EIA, prior to utilising any funds. For any part of the project that may impact on a nature conservation site, the promoter is also required to provide an approval of the competent authority and information on the mitigating measures required to comply with the Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC.

The promoter has to ensure that contracts for the implementation of the project will be tendered in accordance with the relevant applicable EU procurement legislation (Directives 2014/23/EU, 2014/24/EU or 2014/25/EU, where applicable, as well as Directives 92/13/EEC and 89/665/EEC) as interpreted by the Court of Justice of the European Union, with the publication of tender notices in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU), as and where required.