2024 marks a year for Europe to pivot in important ways toward a more sustainable, resilient future for its water sector. In January 2024, The European Parliament reached a provisional political agreement to update the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive. In June of this year, all 27 members of the EU will vote for the European Parliament, an election expected to have implications for environmental policies, including the European Green Deal, and initiatives related to water and wastewater management. In the U.K., final determinations of the utilities’ business plans for 2025–2030 will be made by December of this year. Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden have proposed bans on PFAS. As Spain declares a drought emergency, regions team up with central government. Major policy change will take several years to work through member state legislation, but water and wastewater system operators across Europe must continue to invest in the horizontal and vertical assets that form the backbone of the sector.
This client webcast, based on analysis from Bluefield’s 2024–2030 Europe Municipal Water CAPEX Forecasts, provided an overview of the state of Europe’s water market, investment drivers, technological advancements, regulatory frameworks, funding structures and cost-recovery strategies.
Key questions addressed in this presentation:
- Which countries will lead and lag in terms of water and wastewater CAPEX?
- Which policies, will likely have the most impact on shifting investment into specific countries and asset classes?
- At the city and utility system level, how are European countries balancing affordability against increasing investment needs?
- What key considerations should the private sector keep in mind when evaluating Europe’s water sector contract and investment opportunities?
