19 February 2013: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €9.2 million loan to SC Hidroprahova SA, the water and wastewater operator for the Prahova area in Romania. The loan will help finance the company’s €146.2 million investment programme, which aims to raise the quality of drinking water in line with EU directives.

EBRD will also help increase access to water and sewerage services in the company’s service area. The investment is also expected to reduce SC Hidroprahova’s water losses. Once the programme is completed, 96% of the population in the project area is expected to be connected to a safe water supply, and 91% of the people are expected to be connected to wastewater services. The programme will also have an energy efficiency component, with solar panels being installed in SC Hidroprahova SA’s wastewater treatment plants.

The loan is a subproject of the €330 million Regional EU Cohesion Fund Co-financing Framework (R2CF), which was launched in 2010 and extended in September 2012 to support investments in Romania’s water and wastewater infrastructure and help municipalities absorb the financing available from the EU Cohesion Funds. [EBRD Press Release]