Aqualia, as part of a consortium led by Infroneer Holdings Co., Ltd., has been awarded a contract for the renovation of the Toyohashi Water Treatment Plant. The agreement covers the renovation works as well as the operation of this facility and an additional plant, together with their associated infrastructure, for a total duration of 30 years. The facilities are located in Aichi Prefecture, approximately 300 kilometres west of Tokyo.
The contract is the first in Japan to combine the Build-Transfer (BT) scheme with a concession awarded to a consortium that includes a Western company. It also marks Aqualia’s entry into the Japanese market as part of its international expansion activities.
The Toyohashi Water Treatment Plant has been in operation since 1967 and currently treats 80,000 m³ of water per day, supplying the cities of Toyohashi, Toyokawa and Shinshiro in the Higashi Mikawa area of eastern Aichi Prefecture. After more than 50 years of service, the facilities are scheduled for comprehensive modernisation to improve operational efficiency and enhance resilience to seismic activity.
The project will be implemented through a model that combines the Build-Transfer (BT) method with a concession system. Under this approach, a new facility will be constructed and ownership transferred to the prefectural authority, while operation and maintenance will be carried out through a public-private partnership. This model has not previously been applied in Japan’s water sector.
The project will be implemented through a model that combines the Build-Transfer (BT) method with a concession system
The consortium’s proposal includes infrastructure designed to support stable water supply, incorporating advanced treatment technologies, optimised construction processes, and digital tools such as IoT sensors and intelligent monitoring systems. The project also includes crisis management measures, with anti-seismic design based on the “phase-free” concept, the use of hybrid energy with hydrogen, and an operational model that links water cycle management with regional economic activity.
With this project, Aqualia expands its international footprint, which spans 19 countries: Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Colombia, Chile, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Spain, United States, France, Georgia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Oman, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Czech Republic and Romania. The company provides water-related services to more than 45 million people worldwide.
Aqualia’s international operations have grown in recent years, including market entries in the United States in 2024 and Georgia in 2022. International activities now represent close to half of the company’s total revenue, amounting to €731 million at the end of 2024.
Aqualia is a water management company owned by FCC’s citizen services group (51%) and IFM Investors (49%). According to the Global Water Intelligence ranking published in December 2024, the company is the fourth largest water operator in Europe by population served and the ninth largest worldwide.
