The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending €500 million to two regional water management associations in Germany’s Ruhr region for climate adaptation and flood protection projects, the bank said. The Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband will use the 30-year loans for river restoration, dyke rehabilitation, and pumping station upgrades that will better protect hundreds of thousands of people against heavy rainfall and flooding. EIB Vice-President Nicola Beer and EGLV Executive Board Chair Prof. Dr Uli Paetzel signed the agreements on January 16 at Hof Emscher-Auen in Castrop-Rauxel, near Dortmund.
The long-term loans with favorable interest rates will keep investment costs manageable for local residents despite the significant funding needed for climate adaptation and flood protection. Projects range from additional river restoration work to expanding dykes and upgrading pumping stations and retention basins to prevent flooding in densely populated urban areas.
“For many years, our long-term financing has been invested in the water systems of the Emscher-Lippe region—first in modern wastewater treatment systems and environmental protection, and now in climate adaptation and flood protection,” Beer said. “This will provide several hundred thousand people with better protection against heavy rainfall and flooding, help municipalities avoid high costs from future flood damage, and ensure that investment costs remain manageable for locals.”
Paetzel said the loans will enable EGLV to implement high-investment projects quickly while spreading financial contributions from members over several decades. This approach shields residents by allowing wastewater charges to be adjusted gradually over an extended period.
The financing continues a decades-long collaboration between the EIB, Emschergenossenschaft, and Lippeverband. After successfully restoring the Emscher River ecologically and developing a modern wastewater treatment system, the focus now shifts to flood and heavy rainfall protection. Preventive flood protection measures will help avoid substantial damage to private property and public infrastructure. Since 2011, the EIB has provided €2.1 billion in loans for the Emscher restoration project, contributing significantly to the ecological recovery of what was once called “Germany’s dirtiest river.” Over the past decade, the bank has provided more than €3.3 billion for long-term water sector investments across Germany.
