The European Investment Bank (EIB) has approved a €450 million financing package for ACEA to support the modernization and upgrading of water infrastructure in Italy’s Lazio region, according to a press release. A first €200 million tranche was signed in Rome to launch the 2027 to 2030 investment programme. The deal marks the seventeenth agreement between the EIB and ACEA, bringing total financing between the two institutions to around €2.6 billion. The financing will help ACEA improve water supply, treatment, distribution, and wastewater management across the areas it serves in Lazio. It reinforces the EIB’s position as the leading European public financier of the water sector.
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. The first financing operation between the two institutions dates back to 1999. Since then, they have signed 17 agreements worth around €2.6 billion. This long-standing partnership reflects a joint commitment to the development and modernization of essential and sustainable infrastructure. ACEA Group is Italy’s leading water operator, serving around 11 million people across several Italian regions.
The planned works include upgrading networks, reducing water losses, and digitalizing systems. They also involve strengthening infrastructure interconnections and developing solutions to reuse water resources. These interventions aim to increase overall efficiency and resilience to climate change. The EIB financing will support ACEA’s broad 2027 to 2030 investment plan. The programme covers water supply, treatment, distribution, and wastewater management services.
“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.
Pier Francesco Ragni, Co-General Manager of ACEA, added that the agreement supports a strategic investment programme to modernize the region’s water infrastructure. He emphasized that the renewed cooperation reflects a relationship of trust built over time.
The operation is part of the EIB’s broader strategy in Italy, where in 2025 the Bank supported utilities with €837 million. Beneficiaries included 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). The EIB also subscribed to 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 resource management. In 2025, the EIB Group signed 105 new financing agreements in Italy totalling €12.3 billion.