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Aquafin in a nutshell

  • Infrastructure projects
aquafin-pmv

Since 19 May 2020, PMV has been the new and sole shareholder of Aquafin. The transfer followed the Flemish coalition agreement which stipulated that Aquafin’s previous shareholder, the Flemish Environmental Holding Company, be dissolved. On 8 December, PMV increased Aquafin’s capital by €50 million. In this way, PMV is facilitating the further growth of the company and the new contracts awarded to Aquafin.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and the strict measures that followed also had serious consequences for the construction sector: virtually all construction sites came to a standstill. Nevertheless, Aquafin was able to react quickly during the first lockdown in the spring so that the impact on the results remained limited.
Aquafin took the lead in publishing a guideline to enable safe working under corona conditions. That document soon served as the basis for the industry-wide approach.

Inspiration for a climate-robust environment

In 2020, drought and the associated water scarcity also dominated the news for months. Just before the summer, Aquafin and sector association Vlario launched the website Blauwgroenvlaanderen.be, which shows a range of measures for infiltration and buffering of rainwater on the public domain. Speaking practical examples inspire cities and municipalities to invest in space for water. Besides water scarcity, flooding from peak showers remains a focus point for Flanders. With Aqtiput®, Aquafin wants to make maximum use of the existing infrastructure to reduce water nuisance. The innovative concept ‘activates’ private rainwater cisterns based on smart control linked to a rainfall radar. If heavy rain is approaching, the level in the well is lowered and the water is given ample time to penetrate the soil. This frees up space in the pit to collect rainwater runoff from paving or roofs. In 2020, Aquafin started a first demo project together with the municipality of Edegem.

Green Finance Framework

Aquafin is also noticing a growing interest among lenders to invest in projects of a sustainable nature. The company launched its first green bond in the spring under a new Green Finance Framework. It is just one example of how, by listening to and connecting with our stakeholders, we are finding answers to their needs.

Coordinating role in Flemish asset management

A connecting approach is also the foundation of the new, coordinating role that Aquafin was assigned by the Flemish Region to better align municipal and supra-municipal investments and to set up synergies for more efficient water management. Due to Aquafin’s extensive experience in asset management, the company was given the task of determining the standards and minimum requirements for drawing up a risk map, inspection plan and condition map of the municipal sewers across Flanders. However, the municipalities remain ultimately responsible for implementation and reporting.

View the full activity report on the Aquafin website

www.aquafin.be