2005 - 2006 - Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2012

BELGIUM PART 2: COUNTRY ANALYSIS
For industry (1987) 85%
For agriculture (1987) 4%
Private sector participation
With the exception of Aquafin and some local water provision contracts, the sector remains in public
hands. The distributors are usually responsible for the production of the water, although they
sometimes also produce for other regions or buy the water from regional producers. Water
distribution and sewerage are organised in regional groupings. In Flanders, water is operated through
the VMW, 8 intermunicipal consortiums and 22 municipal or urban organisations. Sewerage is run by
Aquafin. In the Brussels Region, water is operated through Compagnie Intercommunale Bruxelloise
des Eaux (CIBE). In the Walloon Region, water management is organised through the SWDE, 22
intermunicipal consortiums, 16 private concessionaires (Régies) and 110 municipal organisations.
Groundwater
Total recharge (1998, km 3 ) 0.9
Per capita (1998, m 3 ) 84
Withdrawals (1980, km 3 ) 1.0
For domestic use (1980) 68%
For industry (1980) 27%
For agriculture (1980) 5%
Privatising sewage treatment in Brussels
In Brussels, the private sector operation of new sewage treatment works is currently being developed
by corporatising each new facility before putting the operation out to tender. The O&M contract for
the first facility in Brussels was in fact won by the municipal water company and thus remains in the
public sector. Planning and construction of the Brussels South sewage treatment works started in
1992 and entered service in 2000, serving a PE of 360,000 and costing £125 million. It is to be
operated by Brussels’ CIBE. The BOT for the Brussels North sewage treatment works was bid for by
VE, Suez, Bouygues and BSUB (Seeghers, Besix, UU and Bechtel) and was awarded to VE. The
facility will cost €290 million and construction started in 2002, with completion officially due by 2006.
Revenues of €49.6 million per annum will be generated over the BOT’s 20 year life.
MAJOR CITIES
Population 2000 2015 Status
Brussels 1,135,000 1,135,000 Brussels North STW privatised
Private Sector contracts awarded (Please see the relevant company entry for
details)
Location Contract Company
Brussels North Sewage treatment BOT Aquiris
West Flanders Water management for IWOV Aquinter
Flemish Brabant Water management for IWVB Aquinter
Flanders Sewerage and sewage treatment for VMW Aquafin
Private sector company operations (Please see the relevant company entry for details)
Company Parent company (country)
Population served
Water Sewerage Total
Aquinter Tractabel (Suez, France) 300,000 0 300,000
Aquiris VE (France) 0 1,135,000 1,135,000
Aquafin Severn Trent (UK) 0 3,300,000 3,300,000
62 Pinsent Masons Water Yearbook 2005 – 2006