Mother Earth Day, 22 April:

Dutch Clean Tech (DCT) has started raising €30 million from investors to finance sewage treatment plants in Guatemala, Mexico and/or Kazakhstan. Discussions are ongoing and pilots are being prepared in these countries; when the first contracts are awarded, DCT will soon be able to start building plants that will provide clean water to millions of people.

Clean water is a major focus point on Mother Earth Day, the annual global event on 22 April. Mother Earth Day reminds us that the earth and its ecosystems provide us with life and sustenance. Water is life. Nature can no longer repair itself. Investing in our planet and especially in water is vital. In countries like Guatemala, Mexico and Kazakhstan, DCT has recently built awareness about the importance of treating wastewater.

DCT can make an important contribution to the case of clean water. Given the urgency to improve water balance and water quality, DCT wants to speed up fundraising in order to start building sewage treatment plants quickly when the first orders are received in the countries where DCT is already active.

Sewage treatment: knowledge and money

The fact that sewage treatment plants are far from easy to realise in many parts of the world has to do with knowledge and money. Sewage treatment is a complex process and building installations often involves substantial investments. The consequence of the lack of investment is that in many countries today, a large proportion of all wastewater is still discharged untreated, with all its consequences.

Low operational costs

DCT offers a solution for both issues – knowledge and money. CEO Sander Pielkenrood explains: “Based on our knowledge and experience, we have designed modular sewage treatment plants. In our designs, we predominantly considered low operational costs and safe reuse of treated water. For example, our sewage plants use 30% less energy than conventional plants. And they generate 40% less waste sludge. And all with a footprint that is much smaller than that of traditional treatment plants,” Pielkenrood said.

Investing in sewage treatment plants

DCT also offers a workable approach for financing. Pielkenrood says: “We offer private and professional investors the opportunity to invest. We pay them a fair return and invest the money in the construction of sewage treatment plants. As far as we are concerned, as soon as possible.”
DCT has opened a new investment round to which private investors can subscribe. With this round, the company hopes to raise €30 million which can be put into sewage treatment projects in Guatemala, Mexico and Kazakhstan if contracts are awarded there.