The European Investment Bank (EIB), the lending arm of the European Union, has provided €50 million to CIIP, the single utility company offering integrated water services in the provinces of Ascoli Piceno and Fermo. The funding aims to improve the efficiency, supply security, and climate resilience of water and wastewater services in Marche, benefiting over 414,000 people.
The EIB financing will support CIIP’s investment plan for 2023-2027, with the aim of further improving integrated water service in the 59 municipalities served in the Marche region. The funding will also improve climate resilience for future extreme weather events, in line with the Water Framework Directive and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
The EIB is the EU climate bank and one of the world’s largest lenders to the water sector, with over 1,600 projects and around €80 billion in funding granted since 1958. Italy was the biggest beneficiary of EIB resources for the water sector from 2016 to 2022, with 40 operations financed, providing a total of €2.9 billion and unlocking €8.9 billion in investment.
The EIB is the EU climate bank and one of the world’s largest lenders to the water sector
CIIP’s funding from the EIB is the second loan agreement in the last ten years, following funding agreements with CAP Group, Tea Spa, Alfa S.r.l, Veritas, SMAT, and Iren Group.
The EIB’s financing of CIIP will contribute to the development of more efficient and resilient water services in Marche, ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of water to communities in the region.
“Water is not only the source of life, but also the resource most affected by climate change. This new operation with CIIP will help make integrated water service in the Italian provinces of Ascoli Piceno and Fermo more efficient, sustainable and resilient to future extreme weather events,” said EIB Vice-President Gelsomina Vigliotti.
“CIIP spa is honoured by the trust placed in it by the EIB. This latest financing will enable CIIP to strengthen the quality of integrated water service infrastructure, benefiting regional growth and the population served, with a view to promoting the circular economy, the preservation of water resources and keeping prices stable in the short term,” said CIIP spa President Giacinto Alati.
