The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted a loan of EUR 100 million to Canal de Isabel II (CYII), the body responsible for water distribution in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, to finance investment in the water supply and wastewater treatment systems of the Autonomous Community.
The loan will finance a range of works on the supply, sewerage and wastewater treatment infrastructure, included in the 2009-2013 investment programme of Canal de Isabel II. The programme’s objective is to improve the reliability and efficiency of the water supply and wastewater management services through the rehabilitation, construction and extension of wastewater and water treatment plants, the construction and expansion of water mains, and the refurbishment of the distribution network. The project will also help to develop the re-utilisation of water by investing in water treatment and in distribution networks for recycled water intended for irrigation and industrial use.
In a region characterised by a scarcity of water, improvements in water pipes, with a reduction in leaks, and in the new wastewater treatment infrastructure will have unquestionable environmental benefits. The investment will also help to cater for the rising demand for water for domestic and industrial use, and to re-utilise wastewater in the Autonomous Community, meeting the objectives of the National Water Quality Plan, the “Madrid Dpura" plan, and European Directives in this field.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the long-term financing arm of the European Union (EU), working to further European objectives. Established in 1958, its operations cover the 27 EU Member States and more than 130 other countries throughout the world.
The Bank's financing is geared to well-defined European policies. Projects in the water sector constitute an important area for the EIB, whose lending in this field encompasses the entire water cycle, ranging from support for reforestation and the protection of woodland, to the distribution of drinking water, and including the construction and improvement of wastewater treatment plants.