The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a €200 million loan to Società Metropolitana Acque Torino (SMAT) to support its investment programme for 2025 to 2027, with the first tranche of €100 million signed in Rome today, according to a press release. The agreement, supported by InvestEU, the European Union’s investment programme, will help strengthen and modernize water and sewerage infrastructure in the province of Turin, delivering substantial improvements in service quality and efficiency.
The EIB green loan will finance the extension and renewal of water supply networks, upgrades to reservoirs and installations using cutting-edge technologies, and expansion and maintenance work on sewerage networks and wastewater treatment plants. An innovative aspect of the investment programme involves advanced remote control systems that will optimize infrastructure management and maintenance, increasing operational efficiency and improving the resilience of water services to future extreme weather events.
EIB Director General of Operations Jean-Christophe Laloux, who signed the agreement with SMAT Chairman Paolo Romano, said investing in a safe, efficient, and resilient water system means investing in public health and environmental sustainability. The operation consolidates the excellent partnership with SMAT to modernize and improve the efficiency of Turin’s water infrastructure, with long-term benefits for people and businesses through reduced water losses and improved service resilience.
Today’s agreement is the sixth between EIB and SMAT, bringing the overall total to €760 million over a 20-year partnership that demonstrates shared commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation in water resource management. SMAT Group Chairman Paolo Romano said the operation shows how the company has leveraged its technical and economic results to build trust with European financial institutions, acting as a guarantee of service quality for users and a safeguard for direct and related jobs in the Turin metropolitan area.
Italy receives more EIB funding for the water sector than any other country. With over 1,770 projects and more than €86 billion in financing provided since 1958, the EIB is one of the world’s leading lenders to the water sector, and in the last ten years Italy has received over €4.3 billion for water sector operations. The loan to SMAT adds to 2025 financing for BrianzAcque, Acqua Novara.VCO, Azienda Comprensoriale Acquedottistica, and ACEA, totaling over €565 million.
