(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 17. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Italy's CAP Group have signed a 100 million euro finance contract to support major water and sewerage infrastructure upgrades across Milan and several provinces in Lombardy, Trend reports.

The agreement, covering the 2025–2030 investment plan, was announced by EIB Director General of Operations Jean-Christophe Laloux and CAP Group Chairman Yuri Santagostino.

The EIB financing will benefit 154 municipalities and more than 2.4 million people, focusing on increasing the reliability and resilience of the water network, reducing flood risks caused by sewage overloads, and improving wastewater collection and treatment efficiency. The funds will also help develop digital solutions to optimise the management of the integrated water service.

“Investing in water infrastructure means investing in people's quality of life. The EIB funding will help to ensure a safer, more reliable and sustainable service for communities in the Milan metropolitan area and much of Lombardy,” said Laloux.

Santagostino noted that the financing will accelerate CAP Group's ability to implement large-scale strategic investments. “The trust that the EIB places in us confirms the solidity of our industrial model and enables us to upgrade water infrastructure at a faster pace, so generating value for the people and for the Lombardy region,” he said.

Italy remains one of the EIB's top beneficiaries in the water sector. Since 1958, the EIB has financed over 1,770 water-related projects worldwide, amounting to more than 86 billion euros. Over the past decade, Italy has received over 4.3 billion euros in EIB financing for water projects. Recent loans include 45 million euros for BrianzAcque, 150 million euros for Acqua Novara, 30 million euros for Azienda Comprensoriale Acquedottistica, and 90 million euros for ACEA.

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