Last week, the European Commission published its new Water Strategy, setting a clear target: improve water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030.
The strategy introduces a Water Efficiency First principle, encouraging Member States to prioritise efficiency measures such as leakage reduction, smart metering, and water reuse before considering major new infrastructure investments.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) will provide more than €15 billion in financing between 2025 and 2027, a 50% increase compared to the €10 billion committed over the previous three years.
This focus on efficiency is the right approach.
Current water losses in public supply networks in Europe reach up to 57%, depending on location. This highlights the significant potential for improvement through better network management and efficiency measures.
Optimising the design and management of existing water infrastructure offers significant value to utilities through water and energy savings, lower CO₂ emissions, and reduced operating costs.
It also provides a clear alternative to deploying large amounts of capital for new infrastructure when existing networks can often deliver more through operational improvements.
At Miya Water, we believe in this model. Through performance-based contracts, we align our objectives with those of our clients, ensuring that the value created is both measurable and shared.
Keeping efficiency at the core of investment decisions will be key to achieving sustainable and cost-effective improvements.
Article written by José Carazo, CEO at Miya Water.
