European Investment Bank Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle and Syndicat Mixte pour l’Aménagement Hydraulique (SIAH) du Croult et du Petit Rosne President Guy Messager today announced the signature of the €76 million finance contract for the construction of the new, “next generation” wastewater treatment plant in Bonneuil, Val d’Oise (France).
Vice-President for European Affairs of the Île-de-France Region Stéphanie Von Euw and councillors from the municipalities involved in the project were also in attendance.
The large-scale financing operation with major economic and environmental impact handled by a French closed joint association specialised in wastewater treatment is the first of its kind under the Investment Plan for Europe (the Juncker Plan).
In concrete terms, this EU financing will make it possible to provide the region will a “next generation” wastewater treatment plant applying the circular economy approach, reducing overall energy use and creating additional revenue. Water treatment sludge will be used to produce biogas, which will then be pumped into the municipal gas network. Waste sludge will be fully recycled through a composting channel.
The future wastewater treatment plant in Bonneuil (France) will have a treatment capacity of 500 000 population equivalent (compared to 300 000 population equivalent for the current plant), while guaranteeing full compliance with discharge standards.
The future plant will make it possible to meet the growing requirements of the connected population and industrial and commercial facility projects such as Paris airport – Triangle de Gonesse and the Louvres-Puiseux eco-district.
EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle said the Juncker Plan is continuing its successful development in France with 120 operations approved so far, representing a total financing amount of €9.3 billion. These are expected to mobilise €42.3 billion in additional investment.
“This financing is key for SIAH,” emphasised SIAH President Guy Messager.
“It will enable us to increase the treatment capacity of our plant and adapt it to pressing and future issues in the east of Val d’Oise. However, it is also an opportunity for us to move our plant towards the environmentally responsible management model that SIAH is developing across all of its activities. We should not forget that all of our actions converge on one core objective outlined by the Water Framework Directive: returning watercourses to good environmental status.”
The EIB has dedicated €1.6 billion to the water and sewerage sector since 2008 in France, supporting projects to develop and modernise plants and systems at the heart of French towns, cities and regions.