De Watergroep

About the Utility

De Watergroep is the largest drinking water company in Flanders. In 2025 it served customers in 167 municipalities across West Flanders, East Flanders, Flemish Brabant and Limburg, employing 1,636 people. Its core task is producing and supplying drinking water, and through Riopact, a branch set up with Aquafin, it also relieves partner municipalities of wastewater management. Prices are regulated: every six years De Watergroep submits a tariff plan to the WaterRegulator, its customers and its shareholders, which the regulator approves or rejects, subject to appeal to the minister. Drinking water tariffs may only cover the costs of that task. The current plan runs from 2025 to 2030.

Water System

In 2025 De Watergroep’s drinking water network extended 34,926 km, with an average age of 36.7 years. The volume made available to customers exceeds its own production because it adds purchased water and deducts water sold on. Household demand per connection edged up as sales rose after the extremely dry year, a sensitive point because 80% of income depends on volumes sold while 80% of costs are fixed. Water loss is the operating priority: a seven-track leakage action plan combines detection, repair and pressure management, and a record 9,524 leaks were repaired in 2025.

Wastewater System

Wastewater responsibilities come through Riopact, the branch De Watergroep set up with Aquafin to relieve municipalities of wastewater management. At the end of 2024 Riopact had 25 partners and 49 Riopact municipalities; Lochristi and Meulebeke then joined under a total solution in which De Watergroep takes over a municipality’s full sewerage management. The work also covers new sewer connections, which reached 2,028 in 2024, and advice to towns and municipalities. The need is policy-driven: every municipality has reduction targets to improve waterway quality by 2027, prompting targeted investment in sewerage infrastructure.

Investment & Priorities

Mains renewal dominates the capital programme. Actual spending on distribution and supply mains, including new connections, rose again in 2025, and the share of the network replaced met its target. A €350 million European Investment Bank loan supports mains replacement and extension in the programme running to 2028, with a first €200 million contract partly drawn. Construction continues on the De Gavers production centre expansion. Net debt has continued to rise, but its ratio to EBITDA has eased since 2023 and remains below its fixed limit.

Sustainability & Resilience

Drought resilience shapes supply planning. De Watergroep sizes production capacity to the highest historical consumption peak plus a reserve margin, is preparing brackish and seawater treatment, and is deploying aquifer storage and recovery through Waterunie, its merger company with Farys. It already buys 100% green electricity and targets energy neutrality on its own sites by 2030, although the renewable energy consortium appointed for that goal had yet to file permit applications. A plan for full climate neutrality by 2050 is being developed.

Key Challenges

1. Reducing water loss towards an Infrastructure Leakage Index of 0.80 by end-2030.
2. Delivering rising mains renewal while keeping the debt ratio below its fixed limit.
3. Rebuilding financial resilience when most income varies with volumes but most costs are fixed.
4. Securing drought-resilient supply through new capacity, aquifer storage and brackish and seawater treatment.
5. Supporting municipal sewerage investment towards waterway quality targets for 2027.

Major Projects