EIB and ACEA sign €450 million agreement to modernise water infrastructure in Lazio

• First €200 million tranche signed today in Rome to launch the 2027 to 2030 investment programme
• EIB financing will support ACEA's investment plan to improve water networks and wastewater treatment plants
• Seventeenth agreement between the EIB and ACEA, bringing total financing to €2.6 billion

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a €450 million financing package for ACEA to support the modernisation and upgrading of water infrastructure in the Lazio region. A first €200 million tranche of the financing is being announced today and will help launch the investment programme.

The EIB financing will support ACEA's broad 2027 to 2030 investment plan to improve water supply, treatment and distribution services, as well as wastewater management, across the areas it serves in Lazio.

The works include upgrading networks, reducing water losses, digitalising systems, strengthening infrastructure interconnections and developing solutions to reuse water resources, with the aim of increasing overall efficiency and resilience to climate change.

Cooperation between the EIB and ACEA Group has developed over more than two decades, built on continuous dialogue and a shared vision for infrastructure investment. Since the first financing operation in 1999, the two institutions have signed 17 agreements worth around €2.6 billion, reflecting a long-standing joint commitment to the development and modernisation of essential and sustainable infrastructure.

"The EIB plays a central role in supporting investment in Italy's water sector, where there are significant needs for modernisation and long-term financing. In 2025, Italy was the main beneficiary of EIB financing for the sector, with €837 million supporting projects that will help provide drinking water to 3.4 million people, improve sanitation services for 4.7 million and reduce flood risk for almost 4 million. This operation will accelerate the implementation of investment programmes and strengthen infrastructure resilience," said Gelsomina Vigliotti, EIB Vice President.

"This agreement with the EIB supports a strategic investment programme to modernise the region's water infrastructure. This financing will help accelerate upgrades to networks and plants, improving service efficiency and system resilience. Renewed cooperation with the European Investment Bank reflects a relationship of trust built over time and our shared commitment to supporting the transition towards more innovative, sustainable infrastructure capable of responding to the challenges posed by climate change and the growing need to protect water resources," said Pier Francesco Ragni, Co-General Manager of ACEA.

EIB support for Italian utilities

The operation confirms the EIB's role as the leading European public financier of the water sector, working alongside Italian utilities to improve and modernise essential infrastructure. The financing for ACEA is part of the Bank's broader strategy in the country: in 2025 alone, the EIB supported Italian utilities with €837 million, contributing to investments by some of the country's leading companies. These include MM S.p.A. (€100 million); SMAT (€100 million); CAP Group (€100 million); BrianzAcque (€45 million); Acqua Novara.VCO (€150 million); Azienda Comprensoriale Acquedottistica S.p.A. (€30 million) and ACEA (€90 million), as well as the subscription of the sixth issue of the Viveracqua Hydrobond (€200 million). These agreements help improve access to drinking water for millions of people, reduce hydrogeological risk and promote more sustainable management of resources.

Background information

The EIB Group

The European Investment Bank Group (EIB) is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the world's leading multilateral development banks. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion in new financing to support more than 870 high impact projects across eight strategic priorities that contribute to the policy goals of the EU: climate action and environmental sustainability, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships, and the savings and investments union. For Italy, in 2025 the EIB Group signed 105 new financing agreements totalling €12.3 billion. In addition to providing long term loans for major infrastructure projects, the EIB Group catalyses private investment for innovative, high-risk companies and projects. It also plays an increasingly important role in Europe's venture debt, venture capital, guarantee and securitisation markets. The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the EIB Group's subsidiary specialising in guarantees and equity. Its specific role is to improve access to finance for small and medium sized enterprises and startups across Europe. The EIF acts as an anchor investor, leveraging its extensive network of partner banks and investment funds to mobilise private investment and support a venture capital fund ecosystem for Europe's innovative entrepreneurs.

ACEA

ACEA is one of Italy's leading industrial groups. Listed on the stock exchange in 1999, it is active in the management and development of networks and services in the water, energy and environment sectors.

ACEA Group is Italy's leading water operator, serving around 11 million people in Lazio, Tuscany, Umbria, Molise, Campania, Liguria, Valle d'Aosta and Sicily. Through Acea International SA, it also manages water activities in several Latin American countries (Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Peru), serving around 10 million people.

The Group is also a major player in energy distribution, with around 9 TWh of electricity distributed in the city of Rome, and in energy sales, with around 8 TWh of electricity sold. Its activities also include energy production, mainly from renewable sources, public lighting, and artistic and monumental lighting. ACEA is also active in waste management, handling around 1.7 million tonnes of waste a year. It is a key player in central Italy, particularly in Lazio, Tuscany and Umbria, and is also present in Valle d'Aosta, Abruzzo, Marche and Piedmont.