The background
Arges County, in southern Romania, takes its name from the Arges River. The word "Arges" is thought to mean "shiny" and dates back to the ancient Dacian period, when the river was known as “Argessos.” Today, the county is working to restore the "shine" of its waters.
With EIB advisory support under the JASPERS initiative, the regional water operator, S.C. Apa Canal 2000 S.A., prepared a project to ensure clean drinking water and effective wastewater management for over 200 000 residents.
The challenge
Residents in Arges County have problems getting clean water and proper wastewater services.
In some places, the wastewater network does not yet reach all residents, making it essential to expand the network and treatment plants to manage higher volumes and improve water quality.
Older sewer pipes and pumping stations also need to be renovated to prevent leaks, reduce environmental risks and ensure more efficient, sustainable operations.
The action
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The planned investments will extend and rehabilitate water pipelines, build and upgrade treatment and chlorination stations and expand distribution networks across Arges County. The project will modernise three wastewater treatment plants in Pitesti, Costesti, Stolnici and build a new one in Mares. This increases their capacity, improves treatment performance and ensures they meet stricter environmental rules.
Nearly 390 kilometres of new wastewater and water networks will provide complete coverage for communities in the project area. To keep the wastewater flowing, 148 new pumping stations will be built, and four existing ones will be rehabilitated.
The EIB experts worked closely with local and regional partners to help ensure the project's overall success. They reviewed the project's feasibility and sustainability, including eligibility and compliance with the relevant EU environmental directives, the operator's capacity to implement the plan effectively and the technical soundness of the proposed engineering measures.
They also examined climate resilience and carried out financial and economic analysis.
By drawing on the EIB 's expertise, the Romanian authorities were able to refine the project's scope and execution, ensuring more efficient use of resources and better outcomes for the residents of Arges County and the environment.
The estimated project’s eligible costs amount to over €150 million. About 80% of the funding comes from the European Union, with the remainder provided by national public contributions and the beneficiaries.
The results
Once completed, over 200 000 people in Arges County will have reliable access to quality drinking water. Upgraded wastewater treatment plants will provide safer water, reduced pollution and greater resource efficiency.
The project will greatly expand the county’s water infrastructure, increasing water transmission main by over 50% and the wastewater collection network by over 40% . This expansion will enable over 9 130 new connections to the wastewater network and 1 980 new connections to the water network, bringing more households and businesses into the updated system.
A reliable and efficient water and wastewater system is essential for meeting the growing challenges of climate change. Improved management of water resources will help build resilience to droughts and rainfall patterns.
As part of its advisory support to Romania under JASPERS, the European Investment Bank provided expertise for more than 30 completed and ongoing regional water infrastructure projects across the country.