New EU initiative bolsters investment in circular water systems

The Commission, in partnership with the European Investment Bank Group (EIB), launched today the Sustainable Water Advisory Facility (SWAF-G), a EUR 10 million pilot scheme under the InvestEU Advisory Hub initiative, financed by the Horizon Europe Programme.

SWAF-G is an advisory instrument designed to assist both public and private organisations in developing and executing circular economy investments within the water sector across EU member states.

The facility will help stakeholders with technical preparation, capacity building, market development and water value chain integration, to optimise water resource management and enhance long-term environmental and economic resilience.

Supporting the Water Resilience Strategy

The facility is one of the key actions under the Water resilience strategy. It contributes to:

• Scaling up resilient and circular water systems.
• Strengthening pipelines of investment-ready projects.
• Advancing EU water and circular economy objectives.

Accelerating the transition through CCRI

SWAF-G is implemented under the Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), which provides the systemic and territorial framework for delivery.

It supports integrated solutions across the water value chain, including reuse, efficiency and resource recovery, while anchoring projects in local and regional ecosystems. This ensures investments are systemically coherent and territorially grounded.

Pilot focus

As a pilot, SWAF-G targets projects already identified in the EIB pipeline, supporting their progression to investment-ready stage.

Background

Circular Cities & Regions Initiative

The Circular Cities and Regions Initiative (CCRI), led by the Commission under the Circular Economy Action Plan and funded by Horizon Europe, supports circular economy implementation at local and regional level.

European Water Resilience Strategy

This Strategy sets out a pathway to make Europe water resilient, firmly rooted in the 2050 vision put forward by the EU at the 2023 UN Water Conference for a water resilient EU, providing water security for all. This entails the protection and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, and a fair balance between water supply and water demand responding to current needs, including the realization of the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, without compromising the rights of future generations.

More information

EIB Advisory Grants for Circular Water Projects

Water Resilience Strategy Actions Tracker