Annual reports

Wide focus on water quality

In 2023, we have noticed growing concern among our stakeholders and the surrounding area regarding the achievement of good water quality in Flemish streams and rivers. The European Water Framework Directive is therefore lurking around the corner. We believe the best opportunities to get as close as possible to the targets lie in an integrated approach to the municipal and supra-municipal infrastructure. During our initial discussions with local councils and sewer operators in our role as matchmaker, we generally saw enthusiasm regarding the alignment of investment portfolios in order to realise both an economic and ecological win-win. We are convinced that we can achieve even faster and better results by tanking a properly coordinated approach in which we work with local policymakers to determine which expansion and renovation projects and which replacement investments are priority for Flanders. 

We are therefore extremely pleased with the structural cooperation for municipal sewer management with drinking company Pidpa that we ratified in 2023. Nearly half of Flemish cities, towns and municipalities are currently collaborating with Aquafin for their sewer management via our cooperations with Pidpa, water-link or De Watergroep (Riopact).

First Greenhouse Gas Inventory published

With an ambitious energy and climate plan, Aquafin is striving for climate neutrality. In 2023, we finalised a method for inventarising our greenhouse gas emissions and we also carried this out for 2022 as well as retrospectively back to 2013. The inventory takes account of supra-municipal sewers, waste water treatment plants and sludge processing, for both direct emissions (scope 1) and indirect emissions of energy purchased (scope 2), which are obligatory according to the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) protocol that we follow. Although it is not mandatory according to the said protocol, and it is currently still an extremely complex task, we did also try to map the indirect emissions in our value chain (scope 3) as best we could.

In 2024, we will continue to develop and refine the inventarisation process. This first version is already a great starting point that sets us apart in the sector.

Greenhouse Gas inventory (in Dutch)

UWWTD brings new challenges

In 2024, the European Commission will issue a revised version of the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD). The current directive dates back to 1991 and aims to protect the environment against the detrimental consequences of waste water discharges. The directive will be converted into Flemish legislation.

What is on the table will have a major financial and organisational impact on the sector, both for Aquafin and for the towns, cities, municipalities and sewer operators. The field of application of the directive will be expanded to include smaller conurbations (>2.000 PE) and there will be stricter standards for individual waste water treatment plants and for the removal and recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus. In addition, the new UWWTD will focus strongly on monitoring of WWTPs, the sewer system, overflows and rainwater runoff and actions to limit overflow operation. The removal of micropollutants at the largest WWTPs will become mandatory, with pharmaceutical and personal care products in particular. An additional, fourth stage of treatment will be necessary. At our Aartselaar WWTP, we have such a full scale first additional stage of treatment. Together with the Flemish Environment Agency (VMM) we want to gain experience with the used technology and the financial impact.