A consortium of Suez and FCC Group companies Aqualia and FCC Construcción has been awarded the contract to improve the Glina wastewater treatment plant in the Romanian capital of Bucharest.

The €113 million contract will see the treatment plant improved and expanded to serve 2.4 million inhabitants. According to a statement from FCC, the contract is financed by European Union cohesion funds and represents the largest public sector water contract awarded in Europe this year. It is due to be commissioned at the end of 2019.

The improvements include an overhaul of the biological treatment, adapting 48 secondary clarifiers and building 24 new ones, and changing the sludge line. Suez is to build a 173 dry tonne/day sludge processing facility that will use incineration technology and energy recovery.

Announcement of the contract came as multi-sector FCC Group reported progress with its performance, stating a €153.5 million net profit in the first nine months of 2017, a contrast to a loss of €179.4 million for the same period last year.