• Veolia Romania completed, ahead of schedule, the first stage of the Cerbureni Drinking Water Treatment Plant rehabilitation and modernisation project, carried out in the context of the state of alert generated by the drinking water crisis.
• The first stage of the project focused on modernising critical infrastructure that supplies water to approximately 40,000 residents and was completed without interrupting the drinking water supply.
• Finalised ahead of the contractual deadline of 78 working days, the project demonstrates that modernizing critical infrastructure can be carried out on an accelerated timeline even while the facilities remain operational.
Curtea de Argeș, August 3, 2026 - Veolia Romania has completed, ahead of schedule, the first stage of the Cerbureni Drinking Water Treatment Plant rehabilitation and modernisation project in Curtea de Argeș, carried out at the request of the local authorities – given the state of alert generated by the drinking water crisis. Completed ahead of the contractual schedule – of 78 working days – this stage focused on modernising critical infrastructure that supplies water to approximately 40,000 residents of the Municipality of Curtea de Argeș and neighbouring areas. The works were carried out without interrupting the drinking water supply, apart from two scheduled shutdowns performed overnight, which totalled only 36 hours.
The project was launched as an emergency intervention to modernise a facility in an advanced state of deterioration, which could no longer ensure the water treatment process under optimal conditions, prompting the local authorities to declare a state of alert.
The modernisation works were carried out under particularly complex conditions, as the plant remained operational throughout the entire period. To ensure the continuity of the water supply, the works were phased across the two process lines and continuously coordinated with the treatment process. The project mobilised 7 multidisciplinary teams and 82 specialists in hydraulic engineering, electromechanical installations and automation, using 60 specialised machines and pieces of equipment.
“The first phase of the Cerbureni Water Treatment Plant modernisation involved far more than simply replacing equipment. It meant transforming a critical infrastructure, delivered within a very short timeframe and without interrupting the water supply. This project demonstrates that essential infrastructure can be modernised at an accelerated pace when technical expertise, planning and collaboration are joined together. At a time when investment in water infrastructure is a priority for Romania, the results in Curtea de Argeș provide a clear example of how such projects can be delivered efficiently, with an immediate impact for the community”, said representatives of Veolia Romania.
The project included the complete rehabilitation of the filtration system by fully replacing the filter nozzles and filtering materials, the use of new stainless-steel and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) components, the reconfiguration of the process installations, a complete overhaul of the backwash pumps and the replacement of the blower used in the oxygenation process. The automation and control systems were also upgraded, and at a later stage the plant will benefit from the integration of variable-frequency drives, a solution that will help reduce energy consumption and increase operational efficiency.
The complexity of the project was further increased by the actual condition of the installations, which became apparent only after the process equipment were opened. During the works, Veolia teams identified more than 800 support elements inside the filters that had been destroyed by corrosion. These could not have been assessed beforehand and had to be replaced individually, without revising the project schedule or extending the contractual deadlines.
At the same time, the plant's technological process was almost entirely rebuilt. The filtration systems, process pipework, backwashing equipment and oxygenation installations were replaced, while the monitoring processes were digitalised. Whereas control had previously relied largely on manual operations and checks, the plant now has sensors and analysers that monitor water quality in real time during the main stages of the treatment process. The first results are already visible: filtered-water turbidity has reached approximately 0.3 NTU, compared with values in the tens of NTU recorded before the intervention began.
By implementing the new solutions, the plant now benefits from a safer, more efficient and more predictable operating process, better equipped to meet the current and future requirements of the public water supply service.
ABOUT VEOLIA
Veolia, a global leader in environmental services, works every day to build ecological security for the benefit of public health and the competitiveness of industries and regions. With 215,000 employees across five continents, working closely with local communities, and thanks to its cutting-edge technologies, the group cleans up pollution, reduces carbon emissions, and regenerates resources through concrete solutions that combine its expertise in water and water technologies, waste - including hazardous waste management, and local energy. In 2025, the Veolia group served 110 million people with drinking water and 97 million with sanitation, produced 45 million megawatt hours of energy, and treated 64 million tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE, Fortune 500, SBF 120) generated consolidated revenue of €44.4 billion in 2025. www.veolia.com
In Romania, Veolia provides water and energy management solutions. With over 3,600 employees, the company operates strategically at the local level to deliver essential services to the highest quality standards and to support the development of smart cities, serving over 2.1 million customers. Over more than 25 years of activity, Veolia Romania has generated a direct economic impact of over €2.31 billion.