Magazine SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT...n October 2009, Degrémont Industry, a SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT subsidiary,...

| P02 SICHUAN PETROCHEMICAL, A MODEL WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT | P12 STORM WATER MANAGEMENT, A STRATEGIC PRIORITY FOR THE 21ST CENTURY | P20 CURRENT AND FUTURE CLIMATE CHALLENGES |

WASTERECOVERY:THE GROUP IS MAKING INNOVATION THE FOCAL POINT OF ITS STRATEGY_P34 & P36

PRESERVING WATER

RESOURCESSUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’S RESPONSE TO THE CHALLENGES FACING AGRICULTURE“WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT THINGSMUST CHANGE, AND WE MUST MAKE THEM CHANGE TOGETHER. IT IS IMPORTANT FOR OPERATORS LIKE SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT TO BECOME INVOLVED…”INTERVIEW WITH THIERRY GAILLARD_P28

MagazineSUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

Number 15_May 2014

SUPPLEMENT4 PAGES ONSUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT INDIA

01_The PetroChina wastewater treatment plant, occupying some 248,400 m2, lies 50 km from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in mid-western China.

70 % of the effluent is reused by the plant. The treatment plant removes over 65% of the non-biodegradable COD(1) and simultaneously reduces the concentration of pollutants to trace levels.

01_

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE02 _PORTFOLIO

SICHUAN PETROCHEMICALA MODEL WASTEWATERPLANT— The need to conserve water has led China to adopt increasingly stringent regulations concerning industrial effluent. To comply with these, the largest Chinese oil company, PetroChina, asked Degrémont Industry, a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, to support its petrochemical production site located in Chengdu. The challenge was to build a wastewater treatment plant that could meet the most stringent discharge standards and recycle a proportion of its industrial effluent. We take a closer look at this partnership.

02_Over 130 staff were involved in setting up the wastewater treatment plant for their customer, PetroChina.

PHOTO REPORT: XIN GE

02_

No. 15_MAY 2014 03PORTFOLIO_

01_To achieve the desired outcome, the facility brings together the best available techniques, such as a reverse osmosis system, as well as ozonisation, biological filtering, ultrafiltration and brine treatment into a single unit.

02_Ozone generators can provide the facility with 200 kg of ozone per hour. This is the highest ozone supply capacity in China.

01_ 03_

INDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT PROCESSING: LESS DISCHARGE, MORE REUSE

As well as being a heavy consumer of water, the oil industry generates a lot of discharge material. Whether upstream or downstream in the oil production process, industry players have to process effluents and meet applicable environmental standards. Processing wastewater with reuse in mind helps to conserve water resources. Sichuan Petrochemical’s wastewater plant is one of the first in China to go all out to meet stringent standards towards protecting the environment and the health of the region’s inhabitants. To achieve this, the “Best Available Techniques” (BAT) have been brought together in one unit (ozonisation, biological filtering, ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis and brine treatment). A rainwater processing line is also planned.

02_


03_The electrical plant room contains over 500 motors. All the various technologies installed make this a particularly modern and innovative plant.

€34 million that is the value of the contract signed between SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, through its subsidiaries Degrémont Industry, Ondeo Industrial Solutions and Ozonia, and the Chengda Engineering Co. on the PetroChina site.


01_For China, the PetroChina wastewater treatment facility is one of the first of its size to use a wastewater and rainwater recycling system.

67,000 m3 per day: this is the capacity of this plant. 800,000 tonnes of ethylene will be produced at the plant each year and 10 million tonnes of oil will be processed annually too.

01_


n October 2009, Degrémont Industry, a SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

subsidiary, won a contract worth €34 million to build an

industrial wastewater treatment plant for the PetroChina refinery,

located 50 km from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province.

Degrémont Industry was then confronted with two major

challenges: the discharge from the Sichuan Petrochemical wastewater

plant had to comply with strict environmental standards specific to the

petrochemical industry, particularly as regards COD(1) levels, and the

plant had to be capable of reusing over 70% of the wastewater.

Protecting the environment and water resources is indeed a critical

issue for PetroChina, especially since a third of China’s rivers are heavily

polluted and the refinery discharges treated water into the Tuo river, a

tributary of the Yangtze. It was therefore vital for the oil company to meet

the applicable environmental and health standards.

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT mustered all its expertise and sug-

gested using one of its advanced technologies, OxyblueTM at the plant.

With much higher energy efficiency than traditional processes, OxyblueTM

can provide optimum water quality that allows it to be discharged in sen-

sitive areas or to be reused. The process combines chemical oxidisation

(ozonisation) and biological oxidisation (bio-filtration). The former brings

organic matter in contact with ozone, and the latter completes the bio-

logical treatment of wastewater, allowing pollutants that are usually dif-

ficult to process to be broken down in a matter of minutes. Furthermore,

this leading-edge technology requires much less ozone than competing

processes, while maintaining the necessary levels of quality.

On stream since January 2014, the Chengdu plant is currently

the largest ozonisation facility ever set up in China and a benchmark

for the implementation of wastewater treatment and recycling within

the country.

Following on from the design and construction of this facility,

PetroChina reaffirmed its confidence in Degrémont Industry’s exper-

tise by entrusting it with the technical support for the plant.

Sichuan Petrochemical is now a showcase for the skills and

expertise of the Group and its subsidiary, Degrémont Industry.

(1) Chemical oxygen demand (COD) is the quantity of oxygen used by strong chemical oxidants in oxidising organic and mineral materials in water. It helps determine wastewater pollution load. COD is one of the key measures used for effluent discharge standards.

I

02_A central control and automation system ensures plant safety.

02_


02 PORTFOLIO Sichuan Petrochemical, an exemplary

wastewater treatment plant Spotlight on this plant, which is the result

of a partnership between the largest Chinese petrochemicals operator and Degrémont Industry.

10 TALENTS Sandrine Mazerat, Lyonnaise des Eaux Portrait of this water network specialist,

who has been able to fi nd her place in a business dominated by men.

11 INNOVATIONS SmartRackTM

Aquasource is innovating by launching the fi rst system capable of being fi tted with interchangeable ultra-fi ltration modules.

12 CHALLENGES Managing storm water,

an investment for the future Paul-Joël Derian and Andrew J. Reese

examine this issue in detail.

16 TALENTS David Duccini, CIRSEE Portrait of the Head of the Water

Distribution Unit at the Research Centre.

34“C’Urban concrete is a perfect example of SITA and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s commitment to innovation in waste recovery.”

17 INNOVATIONS The Syracuse Project Spotlight on this initiative developed

by SAFEGE.

18 SOLIDARITY INITIATIVES Life in the middle of the desert Review of the project that has enabled

wells to be bored in the Niger Desert.

20 EYEWITNESS Climate change: how can you limit

your impact on water resources? Interview with Jean Jouzel,

climatologist and member of the IPCC.

23 TALENTS Ulf Gustafsson, SITA in Sweden Interview with the subsidiary’s Head

of Construction and Demolition Waste Management.

24 SPECIAL REPORT Water and agriculture: repairing

and saving in order to preserve more water resources

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is getting involved alongside farmers to face the challenges of the future.

34 INNOVATIONS C’Urban, the first concrete made

from recovered waste Spotlight on this innovative concrete

which SITA has launched in France.

35 TALENTS Jérôme de Dompsure, Vernéa The Director of this waste recovery

unit reviews its design.

36 INNOVATIONS RePaint, recycled paint SITA in the Netherlands is enabling

waste paint to be turned back into a product.

37 MILESTONES On the web, look at the trends and read

about a few meetings.

38 PERSPECTIVES The de La Tullaye brothers,

who are passionate about water These explorers describe their

expeditions and their commitment to protecting this resource.

MagazineSUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

is an external SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT publication. Tour CB 2116, place de l’Iris 92040 Paris la Défense, France.

PUBLICATION DIRECTOR: Jean-Louis Chaussade.

MANAGING EDITORS:Frédérique Raoult and Laurent Gaudichaud.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:Méloé Debiais.

DEPUTY SENIOR EDITOR:Camille Fauconnier

ISSN NUMBER:2108-3762.

COVER:© BENJAMIN RONDEL / CORBIS

DESIGN:

73-75, rue la Condamine - 75017 Paris.Tel: 01 53 32 56 29.

CONTRIBUTORS:Julie Le Bolzer, Pauline Mallat, Claire Morel, Matthieu Perotin, Cécile Perrin, Olivier Sauvy, Ingrid Seguel, Selma Schnabel and Alexis Tain.

DELEGATED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:Hélène Odoux.

COORDINATION: Myriam Bendriss.

THE FOLLOWING WERE INVOLVEDIN THIS ISSUE: Hugues d’Antin, Hélène Beard, Cecilia Bede, Myriam Bincaille, Anne Couderc, Constance Covillard, Gaëlle Darras, Alexandre Duzan, Hugues Haeffner, Maritxu Harriet, Pauline Hoekstra, Damien Horn, Yasmina Khodjerane, Chrystelle Langlais, Valentina Lazarova, Arnaud Leverbe, Hervé Lienhardt, Flabia Mestre, Sevashree Mohapatra, Vincent Mooij, Anne-Laure Paté, Teresa Quiróz Lodoli, Elena Senante, Daniel Villessot and Ann Wulf.

TRANSLATION:RR Donnelley.

PRODUCTION MANAGER:Bruno Garnault.

PRINT RUN:11,000 copies.

PRINTED BY:Advence73, rue de l’Évangile - 75018 ParisTel: 01 40 36 10 15

This document was printed on 100% FSC recycled paper using plant-based inks at an Imprim’vert production facility.

Please send us any comments you may have, in writing, to: [email protected]

© P

HIL

IPP

E H

OU

ZÉ

You can find us at:w�suez-environnement.comw�emag.suez-environnement.comw�suez-environnement.tvw�youtube.com/user/suezenvironnementw�twitter.com/suezenv

8 _CONTENTS

As you read the magazine, flash the codes with your flash code reader to view the videos or websites relating to the topic (cost of a mobile Internet connection).

To our readers,

Despite a depressed economic environment both in France and in Europe,

the Group has achieved its targets, as shown by our annual results, which

were published in February this year. Thanks to the men and women who

make up the Group, we have once again been able to demonstrate the

strength and relevance of our industrial model.

This model makes innovation the focus of our strategy. In fact, we are

continually developing new products and services in the water and waste

recovery fi elds, in order to provide our customers with solutions that meet

their expectations, and to boost our position in France and abroad, as

demonstrated by the recent increase in our investment in ACEA, the Italian

water utility market leader, and the creation of a joint venture between

Ondeo Italy and ACEA for the rollout of remote meter reading. Meanwhile,

our strong partnerships with Continental China, our industrial facility

management contracts in Brazil, and our recent water service contracts in

India – a country that is highlighted in the supplement to this new issue –

express our determination to focus on new markets.

Since innovation is the focal point of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s strategy, it is

perfectly natural that it should also be the focal point of this 15th issue. Indeed,

our report will enable you to fi nd out about new solutions that enable farmers

to ensure their production while protecting water resources; measures to

limit the impact of global warming on water resources in an interview with

Jean Jouzel, the Vice-Chairman of the IPCC, who tells us about his methods;

and a focus on storm water management; etc. You will also be able to read

about all our subsidiaries’ latest innovations for improving the recovery of

waste in the pages of this issue.

Enjoy this issue.

JEAN-LOUIS CHAUSSADE / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

“THE GROUP IS CONTINUALLY DEVELOPINGNEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICESIN THE WATER ANDWASTE RECOVERY FIELDS”.

© T

RIS

TA

N P

AV

IOT

/ C

AP

A P

ICT

UR

ES

09EDITORIAL_No. 15_MAY 2014

“IT TAKES PHYSICAL FITNESS AND DETERMINATION TO BE

A WATER NETWORK TECHNICIAN AND MAKE YOUR WAY IN A

MOSTLY MALE PROFESSION”.

SANDRINE MAZERAT / WATER NETWORK TECHNICIAN, MEASUREMENT AND AUTOMATIC MONITORING SERVICE

WHETHER IT’S GOING DOWN A LADDER INTO A SEWAGE SYSTEM SIX METRES DEEP, CLAD IN WADERS, A HELMET AND A SAFETY HARNESS, OR SQUEEZING INTO A SHAFT 60 CM IN DIAMETER TO INSTALL A SENSOR, Sandrine

is ready for anything. She is the only woman amongst the four

field technicians dedicated to monitoring the greater Bordeaux

sewage network.

With competitive handball, mountain-biking, rafting and

Basque pelota to her credit, the sport-loving 32-year-old knows

what she wants and how to set about achieving it.

Her career runs on similar lines. After gaining her Water

Treatment BEP and Chemical Industry Bac Pro qualifications,

Sandrine started her career in 2000 in explosives and propellants

research and development with SNPE (Société nationale des

poudres et des explosifs). “Spending those five years developing

and producing live charges made me very safety-conscious,” she

explains. “I learned to be quite rigorous, which is vital when, for

instance, you need to assess the outgassing risks for H2S, hydrogen

sulphide, a dangerous gas that builds up in sewage systems.”

In 2004, Sandrine obtained CIF(1) funding for individual trai-

ning leave to become a water treatment technician. Her course

concluded with a placement at Lyonnaise des Eaux and a job

offer as a sewage treatment plant operator in Carpentras. From

2006 to 2009 she was the right-hand woman to the head of

department for sewage treatment plants in the central Rhône-

Provence area, taking an in-house fast-track training course to

pick up management fundamentals in a few years.

In late 2009, Sandrine’s natural curiosity led her to investigate

a new field: sewage systems. “I went overnight from team mana-

gement and budgets to assignments on cutting-edge diagnostics

and automatic monitoring for sewage networks,” she recounts.

Trained by an experienced colleague, Sandrine specialised in

hydraulics, making her one of the team’s experts on sensor

installation and data collection and analysis. “But what I most

enjoy is emergencies, which are luckily quite rare, such as tracing

pollution back to its source in the natural environment and finding

a solution”, she says.

An innovative contract— Public sanitation service operator to the Urban

Community of Bordeaux until 2018 and a subsidiary

of Lyonnaise des Eaux, SGAC(2) manages rainwater

and the collection and treatment of wastewater for

750,000 residents. The contract includes plans to optimise

the “Clos de Hilde” sewage treatment plant, which will

produce more energy than it consumes, and the flood

prevention system, including RAMSES remote monitoring.

(1) Congé Individuel de Formation (individual training leave).(2) Société de Gestion de l’Assainissement de La Cub (Urban Community of Bordeaux Wastewater Treatment Company).

© N

ICO

LA

S T

UC

AT

/ C

AP

A P

ICT

UR

ES

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE10 _TALENTS

INTERCHANGEABLE ULTRA-FILTRATION MODULES

SMARTRACKTM

THANKS TO THREE PATENTS, SMARTRACKTM IS NOW THE

LEADING UNIVERSAL SYSTEM CAPABLE OF BEING FITTED

WITH DIFFERENT BRANDS OF ULTRA-FILTRATION MODULES. To understand the full challenge and benefits of this innovation,

we need to go back to the mid-1980s. At that time, the process

known as “ultra-filtration” was revolutionising the water treatment

process (see box).

Ultra-filtration, which is clean, effective and low-cost, has now

proved itself. Degrémont and its Aquasource subsidiary, which were

the forerunners, and are the experts in the ultra-filtration field, have

been contributing to the design of effective and reliable membrane

systems since 1984.

“Nonetheless we realised that flexibility was lacking in this sector.

In fact, plants were completely tied to just one membrane manufacturer”

says Benoît Laplagne, Sales Director at Aquasource. “SmartRackTM

was the result of this concern. The real innovation of this project resides

in the interchangeability of the ultra-filtration modules” notes Éric

Demolins, Head of Project Innovation at Degrémont. “Accordingly,

SmartRackTM offers the customer considerable freedom, since they can

now change membranes and use competition to their benefit”.

SmartRackTM is compatible with modules from four different

suppliers(1). Meanwhile, the solution can be applied in the production

of drinking water, industrial waste water, desalination, and re-use(2)

fields. SmartRackTM can be adjusted for any size of facility with flows

of between 200 and 22,000 m³ per day per rack, and provides flexible

integration thanks to its range of standard products.

The system’s development prospects were boosted by the signing

of an agreement relating to the design, construction and commis-

sioning of a new SmartRackTM membrane filtration system at the

Thales facility in Australia in 2013. “In an environment where water is

becoming a precious commodity, and to the extent that SmartRackTM

is suited to the desalination of sea water and re-use, the development

possibilities are huge, both in Australia and in the rest of the world”

Benoît Laplagne concludes.

(1) ASAHI, DOW, GE, Toray.(2) Treatment and re-use of residual wastewater.

© S

UE

Z E

NV

IRO

NN

EM

EN

T /

WIL

LIA

M D

AN

IEL

S

ULTRA-FILTRATION, A REVOLUTION Membrane filtration consists of clarifying and decontaminating water by eliminating undesirable particles. This technique guarantees water of a constant and faultless quality thanks to its highly effective filtration powers. It has revolutionised water filtration, and has gradually replaced conventional treatment techniques thanks to its ability to eliminate not only particles, but also bacteria and pathogens (micro-organisms, bacteria and viruses, etc.).

Membrane filtration is a revolutionary process. Thanks to SmartRackTM, plants can now call upon several membrane manufacturers.

Watch the video about SmartRack™on aquasource-membrane.com/-SMARTRACK

No. 15_MAY 2014 11INNOVATIONS_

AN INVESTMENT FOR THE FUTURE Run-off water that is loaded with urban pollutions, and saturation of sanitation networks, etc. The impact of rainfall can be significant. At a time when climate change is likely to increase the intensity of severe rainfall periods, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is making the management of storm water a major development priority, with strong international ambitions. Paul-Joël Derian, Deputy Director of Innovation and Industrial Performance at SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, discusses the main challenges with Andrew J. Reese, Vice-President in AMEC Environment & Infrastructure Division.

MANAGING STORM WATER

02_01_ © P

HO

TO

ALT

O /

CO

RB

IS

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE12 _CHALLENGES

What does storm water management

consist of?

Andrew J. Reese: This is a concept that has been added to over time. Initially, it referred to drainage operations that enabled run-off water to be channelled into host waterways. Subsequently, a desire to avoid the damage caused by flooding led to the introduction of more sophisticated sys-tems. In the 1950s, this meant the construction of the first separate storm water networks – i.e. net-works that were separate from the infrastructure intended for wastewater. This was followed by the development of comprehensive and integrated

studies of catchment basins to better control runoff. Since then, the emergence of priorities like the prevention of pollution linked to run-off water and the seepage of clean water has resulted in the ongoing development of models applied to stormwater management.

What challenges are cities facing today?

Paul-Joël Derian: Economic and social activ-ity is regularly disturbed by periods of heavy rainfall. Since scientists agree in thinking that these periods will intensify, and will be focused on certain areas in the world, it is likely that climate and rainfall change will be the focus of concerns in the coming years. We also need to take another dimension into account: regions are becoming increasingly urbanised, primar-ily due to the increase in non-permeable areas, which are increasingly incapable of absorbing massive amounts of run-off water. This is there-fore another priority issue for local authorities.

01_Periods of severe rainfall are likely to become more frequent as a result of climate change. 02_03_SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is getting involved in the search for smart solutions in order to improve the management of storm water, by automatically handling periods of rainfall, for instance, or by helping operators to make the right decisions.

w

03_

© E

RIC

TH

IBA

UD

© P

E R

AS

TO

IN

“CONTROLLING THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER OF WATER BY OPERATING DOZENS OF VENTS FROM A CONTROL ROOM: THIS CONCEPT GIVES YOU A GOOD IDEA OF THE ADDED-VALUE AND INNOVATIVE NATURE OF DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT”.PAUL-JOËL DERIAN / DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR INNOVATION AND INDUSTRIAL PERFORMANCE AT SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

© X

X

Are there regional differences in the

approach to storm water?

A. J. R.: In European countries, large cities are equipped with single networks within which storm water becomes mixed with wastewater. This results in frequent overflows during periods of rain. It is a situation that legislators are trying to remedy by encouraging the modernisation of networks and to increase storage volumes. In Asia, as in Bangkok and Manila for exam-ple, the systems are theoretically separated.

SPOTLIGHT ON AMECAMEC is one of the world’s leading engineering, project management and consultancy companies delivering projects and services for customers in the oil and gas, mining, clean energy, environment and infrastructure market.

© G

DF

SU

EZ

/ A

BA

CA

PR

ES

S /

TU

CA

T N

ICO

LA

S

13CHALLENGES_No. 15_MAY 2014

Beyond this diversity, are there any

universal rules for successful storm

water management?

A. J. R.: I think a distinction must be made between the goal of making a system “effi cient” and making it “effective”. In the first case, being able to channel storm water fast and without damaging the natural environment is suffi cient competence. This minimal perspec-tive, however, runs every risk of causing fl ooding and disrupting the hydrological cycle. This is why, in most regions of the world, it tends to give way to a more ambitious approach that aims not just to control peak fl ows, but also to distribute its total volume among different uses. P.-J. D.: The systems used for storm water are complex infrastructures that total several thousands of kilometres of pipes. Rather than systematically renewing the infrastructure – which is very costly and rarely effective, all the more so as storms are increasingly local events – the fi rst thing to do is diagnose exactly what is happening. And then sit down and think about what resources to deploy to optimise the

storage and routing of water as part of what we call dynamic real-time water management.

What skills does this dynamic approach

require?

P.-J. D.: Modelling of the territory and its hydrology, network instrumentation, under-standing and analysis of the receiving environ-ment, and the real-time optimisation of the storage and transfer of polluted stormwater... The entire chain of skills possessed by the Group is mobilised. We incorporate intelli-gence about the storm water problem into infor-mation systems that can automatically manage events or help operators to make the right deci-sions. When a violent rainstorm is approaching, our systems send an alert to prepare the net-works to accept the expected excess. During the event itself, radar estimates are used to forecast rain and manage fl ows in real time. Controlling the extraordinary power of water by manoeu-vring dozens of valves from a control room: that gives you a good idea of the added value and innovative character of dynamic management.

But in fact, illegal connections, and incorrect connections, end up interconnecting the sys-tems. In Latin America, some cities such as Buenos Aires, Santiago and Bogota, have single systems in their oldest districts although they do have separated ones in the rest. The approach thus differs widely depending on the region of the world.

01_Degrémont has developed the DENSADEG solution, which treats storm water taking into account its speed and destructiveness. This system is used, notably, at the Toulouse-Blagnac wastewater treatment plant in France.02_Control screen at the STEP, Toulouse-Blagnac.03_The Group’s subsidiaries install a range of tools to better manage rainfall events, such as this rain gauge.

w

01_

“EVERY LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS THE

TASK OF RECONCILING CONTRADICTORY

REQUIREMENTS. THE DEMANDS PUT ON STORM WATER MANAGEMENT ARE

NO EXCEPTION AS THEY INVOLVE CONCERNS

OVER POTENTIALLY COMPETING USES.”

ANDREW J. REESE / VICE-PRESIDENT IN AMEC ENVIRONMENT

& INFRASTRUCTURE DIVISION

© D

RSUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE14 _CHALLENGES

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT offers storm

water management as part of a much

broader service. Can you explain why?

P.-J. D.: Given the size of the territories that depend on major cities, it is essential, for public operators, to be able to rely on moni-toring systems that can handle multiple fl ows. We can install, for example, software that everyone can download to their smartphone to send an alert when it detects a problem on the network (an open manhole, a strong smell, etc.). The signal is sent directly to our storm water management solution, which can then in turn send a message to an operator. This system thus incorporates the possibility for an ordinary person to be more than just a user of the service and become a participant in the process. And it allows the city to communicate transpar-ently about its environmental performance and mobilise its inhabitants.

In Marseille, in the south of France, in order to adapt to expectations, we have to rearrange our offering to be able to ensure water quality compatible with port and bathing activities.

A. J. R.: Every local government has the task of reconciling contradictory requirements as part of its regulatory, cultural and physical environment. The demands put on storm water management are no exception as they involve concerns over potentially competing uses: eco-nomic growth and preservation of property, but also sailing, ecology, fi shing, the quality of the countryside, etc. If negotiation is necessary, it is because prioritising just one aspect, regard-less of how pressing or urgent, would create an imbalance and aggravate the problems.

PRÉVIL’EAU Forecasting, monitoring and helping run sanitation systems. w Developed by SAFEGE and the French Meteorological Office, this service is designed to provide sanitation system managers with real-time information on the risks of the system overflowing, and in general on the operating conditions of the system.

SIRÈNE Alert that the receiving zone is degrading as a result of a storm water event. w This system sends real-time information from sensors installed in fragile ecosystems and bathing areas.

INFLUX Storm water management, optimal use of infrastructure assets, and preservation of the natural environmentw Mobilising storage capacities at the right place and at the right time to prevent system saturation and highly polluting overflows. In real time, Influx provides an overview of the operation of the sanitation system using validated meteorological data; a trend scenario for hydraulic changes over the next 24 hours in dry conditions or over the next 6 hours during rainfall; an optimal management strategy applied automatically or manually.

DENSADEG Storm water treatment w This solution developed by Degrémont has been adapted to take into account the speed and violence of rainfall events. The treated water can be flowing 10, 20 or 30 times faster than normal flow at the wastewater treatment plant where the process is operating.

A CLOSE LOOK AT SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’S SOLUTIONSThe Group has placed storm water management at the centre of its concerns. It is developing numerous offerings for municipalities. A presentation.

80% of the pollution by urban areas into aquatic environments is due to storm events. —

15% to 30% is the percentage by which theforecasting and dynamicmanagement system offeredby SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENTreduces overflows.

02_ 03_

© P

E R

AS

TO

IN

© L

YO

NN

AIS

E D

ES

EA

UX

/

AG

EN

CE

AP

PA

/ E

RIC

BA

RR

IÈR

E

© P

E R

AS

TO

IN

15CHALLENGES_No. 15_MAY 2014

To find out more,discover the smart water solutions of Lyonnaise des Eauxw or on youtube.com/lyonnaisedeseaux

“MY ROLE IS DEVELOPING

A TOOLKIT OF FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES”.

DAVID DUCCINI / DEPUTY DIRECTOR, CIRSEE

SINCE 1 JANUARY, DAVID DUCCINI HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NEW EXPERTISE AND RESEARCH HUB OF THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH, CIRSEE. His accent has with-

stood his many trips abroad, and his taste for a challenge

is intact after a 24-year career. The Italian engineer’s new

assignment is to develop the professions and the technology

set of the future, whilst ensuring effective asset manage-

ment(1) for the water distribution network. Having one foot in

the present but facing into the future is a position that suits

this globe-trotting water professional, who has “grown up”

within the Group and has worked in many different parts of

the world.

His career path began in Italy. After studying civil engineer-

ing and architecture in Florence, then languages in London,

David Duccini started his career in Tuscany in 1990 with

Acque Toscane, an Italian subsidiary of the Group.

Through his close working relationship there with expe-

rienced executives from Lyonnaise des Eaux, he built up a

strong technical background. “That’s where I learned the fun-

damentals of the water cycle businesses and discovered that

technology is a very important aspect,” he recalls. “That inten-

sive, ‘all-rounder’ training has proved very useful throughout my

international career,” David continues.

Indonesia, Italy, Algeria – David Duccini has worked all over

the world. Wherever he is, he always tries to get the best out

of the teams he is leading. “To make a project a success, I’ve

always insisted on involving all of my teams. Each member of

staff has an intrinsic value to add,” he points out.

After 20 years in operations, becoming assistant technical

director has meant he can pass on his knowledge more

widely. He then had to put together a team of international

experts capable of delivering technical support all around the

world at a moment’s notice. He spent over fi ve years in this

role, fulfi lling all his assignments successfully.

There was hardly any time to savour that success before

his new mission at CIRSEE began. It is an opportunity for him

to continue to lead staff training and to successfully imple-

ment cutting-edge technologies; these are both key assets

for SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT in addressing water challenges.

(1) Asset management involves coordinating, controlling and optimising supply and the maintaining and decommissioning infrastructures throughout their life-cycle.

© A

. M

EY

SS

ON

NIE

R /

CA

PA

PIC

TU

RE

S

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE16 _TALENTS

SHARING EXPERTISE FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN SERVICES

SYRACUSE

THE CITY OF TOMORROW IS TAKING SHAPE, THANKS TO

SAFEGE, A SUBSIDIARY OF SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT. Urban

services have been given a new environmentally-friendly and

sustainable image.

The subsidiary, which is heavily involved in this area, is working

on a research project called SYRACUSE, as part of the “Sustainable

Cities and Buildings” (Villes et Bâtiments Durables) programme

launched in 2011 by the French National Research Agency (ANR),

with a focus on the sustainability of urban services.

“SYRACUSE was created in response to three things: the depletion

of resources, a high demographic and urban growth,” explains

Catherine Chevauché, project leader and Assistant Director of

Research, Innovation and Sustainable Development at SAFEGE.

“To develop this project, we concentrated our efforts on three key

aspects, which we approached collectively: water, energy and waste.

The idea was to transform the constraints faced by cities into

advantages, primarily through the technologies provided by

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT.”

So how could the project optimise the environmental, social and

economic performance of cities? “By taking advantage of heat from

sewage, for example”, says Catherine Chevauché. “We are also think-

ing about multi-scale urban services orientated towards a circular

economy, thus enabling opportunities for the optimisation, recovery

and recycling of resources to be identified and meaning that there is as

little pressure on the environment as possible, whilst using services

that are also economically efficient.”

Innovation, optimisation and decentralisation are not the only

cornerstones of the project. “SYRACUSE is based on a multi-disci-

plinary approach”, remarks Catherine Chevauché. “The project is led

by a consortium (1) that brings together public and private stakeholders

from the fields of the technical sciences and engineering, as well as

the humanities and social sciences – economists, political analysts,

sociologists, historians, town planners, and so on.”

SYRACUSE is currently studying ten cities(2) chosen for their

“highly disparate cultural, social, economic, territorial, climatic and

regulatory backgrounds. This allows us to identify solutions specific to

each environment, both at a technical and an institutional level,” says

Ms Chevauché.(1) SAFEGE, CIRSEE, LATTS, ENPC, Sciences Po Paris, Explicit, EPA Plaine de France.(2) Vancouver (Canada), the Schiphol airline hub (Netherlands), Geneva (Switzerland), Lima (Peru), Windhoek (Namibia), Delhi (India), Stockholm (Sweden), Kawasaki (Japan), Suzhou (China) and Singapore.

© S

AF

EG

E

SAFEGE IN MYANMAR, WORKING TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE CITY With a population of over 1.5 million, Burma’s second-largest city, Mandalay, is gradually opening up to a range of industries. The challenge is all the more ambitious given that the city and its suburbs have suffered from a lack of investment in their urban infrastructure for over 20 years. To help meet this challenge, Mandalay has tasked SAFEGE with defining and implementing an extensive development programme, covering services such as water, sanitation, solid waste treatment, electrical distribution and transport – a project worth more than €1 million in total.

17INNOVATIONS_No. 15_MAY 2014

Discover the animation of Syracusew or suez-environnement.tv / Innovation section

DESERT WELLS

LIFE, IN THE HEART OF DESERT

well. But without water, none of that is possible,” Christel points out. When she left, she promised Mohamed Ixa to help him build a well. One year later, Mohamed Ixa and his team presented her an idea for an organisation, Tidène, to help get their project under way.

For her part, Christel Pernet then set up the organisation Puits du désert (Desert Wells) in France in order to raise funds. Tidène would manage the operational side of implementation.

The adventure begins

The project was set up between 2003 and 2007. The first wells were dug in the heart of the Tidène valley, in Niger. The civil war then forced the two organisations to contemplate digging further south, in the desert, where many herdsmen and caravans are faced with the basic necessity of a

ALONGSIDE THE ORGANISATIONS TIDÈNE AND PUITS DU DÉSERT, THE FONDS SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT INITIATIVES HAS INVESTED €280,000 OVER FOUR YEARS TO BUILD 14 WELLS IN THE HEART OF THE NIGER DESERT. THIS HAS BEEN THE CATALYST FOR THE DIGGING OF SIXTY WELLS IN ALL. WE LOOK BACK OVER THE PROJECT.

THE DESERT WELLS PROJECT SPRANG

FROM AN EMERGENCY LANDING. Flying back from a humanitarian mission, Christel Pernet’s aircraft encountered a fuel filter prob-lem and she landed in the middle of the Ténéré desert in Niger, thanks to radio instructions from Mohamed Ixa, a Tuareg and manager of a travel agency, who had intercepted her call.

The pilot stayed in the locality for several days. Her visit gave her an insight into what life with-out water is like. “Everything we’ve been doing for years, like clinics and schools, that’s all very

01_In the desert, herdsmen and caravans have to contend with the basic necessity of a supply of water. 02_03_Thanks to support from the Fonds SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Initiatives in particular, the organisations Tidène et Puits du désert have managed to build about sixty wells to provide nomadic communities with access to water.04_Christel Pernet, Chairman of Puits du désert is delighted about the social impact these wells are having. The children there will be able to receive an education.

© P

UIT

S D

U D

ÉS

ER

T

© P

UIT

S D

U D

ÉS

ER

T

01_

02_

To find out more:w suez-environnement.com

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE18 _SOLIDARITY INITIATIVES

SOLIDARITY INITIATIVES_

former Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Group and Fund Adviser.

“The quality of partner relationships and the support from public bodies mean that this initia-tive will have a long-lasting impact,” says Myriam Bincaille. She goes on to explain, “This project fitted our criteria: adaptation to local conditions, sustainable improvement in living conditions for the communities being supported, the transfer of expertise, etc.”

An efficient partnership

Investment amounting to €280,000 over four years was formally agreed by the Fonds SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Initiatives, resulting in the construction of 14 wells.

“Our involvement was an incredible catalyst. In our wake, new partners(1) joined the scheme,

which allowed some sixty wells to be built, provid-ing nomadic communities with access to water,” she continues.

For her part, Christel Pernet has observed the project’s strong social impact. “Relieved of the chore of fetching and carrying of water, the women can work and the children can receive an education.”

Today, the project sets a shining example and was awarded a quality label in 2012 by the 6th World Water Forum. “The Fonds SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Initiatives played the big-gest part, as our bridgehead”, says the chairman of Puits du désert, gratefully. “Its commitment brought this fantastic project to life!”(1) The US Senate Foundation, Rotary International and the French popular singer Eddy Mitchell, who donated the proceeds from his latest concert to Puits du désert, have also contributed to the project’s funding.

water supply. Deeper and more remote, these pas-toral wells located in areas of grazing for caravan herds required further funding support.

In France, the Rhone-Mediterranean and Corsica Water Agency and the city of Grenoble agreed to work alongside both associations, provided that a private sector organisation would also commit to the project. Christel Pernet then got in touch with the Fonds SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Initiatives, con-vinced that the Group’s image and expertise would inspire confidence among potential backers. The proposal was scrupulously exam-ined by the fund’s adjudicators, Marie-Ange Debon, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT in charge of International activities, Myriam Bincaille, the fund’s Managing Director and Dominique Pin,

IBRAHIM RISSA / DIRECTOR OF TIDÈNE AND PUITS DU DÉSERT PROJECT MANAGER MOHAMED IXA / CHAIRMAN, TIDÈNE

“Northern Niger is 1.5 times the size of France, with a population estimated at 487,313 in 2010. Our priority target area is located to the south-east of Agadez, where there are 50,000 inhabitants and five million head of cattle. Pastoral wells allow nomads to move with their herds around the areas where there is some vegetation growing. A pastoral well can last for about 50 years. GPS coordinates are assigned to each well so that water sources can be mapped. This means the communities can maintain their nomadic way of life for as long as they wish.

© P

UIT

S D

U D

ÉS

ER

T©

PU

ITS

DU

DÉ

SE

RT

04_

03_

On site, we work with five local private firms, and this creates jobs. The site teams camp around the well for two months while it is under construction. The organisation takes care of their water and food supplies. Once the well is completed, a water source committee looks after its maintenance. Another member of the committee is given responsibility for skills transfer. It goes without saying that the well belongs to everyone. Water is a public resource available to all.”

“EVERYTHING WE’VE BEEN DOING FOR YEARS, LIKE CLINICS AND SCHOOLS, THAT’S ALL VERY WELL, BUT WITHOUT WATER NONE OF THAT IS POSSIBLE.”CHRISTEL PERNET / CHAIRMAN, PUITS DU DÉSERT

“WATER IS A PUBLIC RESOURCE AVAILABLE TO ALL.”

19No. 15_MAY 2014

GLOBALWARMING

HOW CAN YOU LIMIT YOUR IMPACT ON WATER RESOURCES?

JEAN JOUZEL, VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE INTER-GOVERNMENTAL EXPERT PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE

An unparalled change for the past 10 centuries, and which is essentially attributable to human activity and requires us to change our development model: this is how Jean Jouzel defi nes global warming. In the climatologist’s opinion, the necessary reduction in greenhouse gases will not prevent disruptions. In particular, the issue of access to high-quality water will become more pronounced, and lead to increasingly stringent constraints. This is a good reason for learning how to protect and manage resources on a collective basis. Interview.

Jean Jouzel, the climatologist and researcher at the French Climate Science and Environment Laboratory (LSCE), is known to the general public for his contribution to the work performed by the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC), where he has been the Vice-Chairman of the Science Group since 2002. The IPCC was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (shared with Al Gore) in 2007. Jean Jouzel is a member of the French Economic, Social and Environmental Council, and was also Chairman of the High Council for Science and Technology between 2009 and 2013.©

CL

ICH

É C

EA

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE20 _EYEWITNESS

What are the scientific certainties regarding

climate change?

If we look at the latest reference period (1960-1990), we cannot deny that the temperature of the air and seas is rising. More generally, all the components of the climate system are affected, including changes that affect the frequency and intensity of rainfall, as well as the size of the areas covered by snow and ice. The rise in sea levels – at a rate of around three millimeters per year – is also establishing itself as a strong sign of climate change. Even though it is hard to predict the climate for a given region over a 50 year timeframe, global warming is already a

to meet 50% of energy demand by 2050. On the condition, obviously, that there is a coordinated political will for this to happen…

What will the consequences of global

warming be for rainfall?

We need to plan for two symmetrical changes, i.e. less rain in areas where it already does not rain much, and more rain in regions that are traditionally very humid. This means that Northern Europe is likely to suffer from severe flooding, while Southern countries are likely to see their vulnerability to drought increase. All this disruption will have a cost, not only from an economic, but also from a health standpoint, and potentially from a humanitarian standpoint as climate refugees begin to appear.

Water management is therefore central

to these challenges…

Indeed. Concerns in this area focus on the quantitative and qualitative aspect. We know that rising temperatures will result in an increase in demand for water – regardless of whether it is drinking water, irrigation water, or water intended for cooling power generation facilities. This may cause problems in mountainous regions and the surrounding plains, where water supply depends on the thickness of the snow cover, which is thinning as the years go by.

In addition to potential water shortages, global warming is likely to result in a deterioration in the quality of water resources linked to the lower dilution of waste water into water courses. This phenomenon is likely to contribute to reducing the supply of fresh water usable for domestic purposes. However,

01_The temperature of the air and seas is currently rising and causing major disruptions.

02_The frequency and intensity of rainfall is changing. Northern countries, among others, are likely to suffer from increased flooding.

w

visible reality. And it will become even more significant if we continue to emit greenhouse gases in the current amounts.

Is it still possible to counter this trend?

According to the IPPC’s latest assessment report, the average temperature in France is expected to rise by between 2 and 2.5°C between the end of the 20th Century and the end of the 21st Century. However, the increase in temperature could reach 4 to 5°C if no measures are taken; hence the importance of implementing a proactive policy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To enable a low-carbon society to emerge, we estimate that we should only use 20% of existing fossil fuel reserves (gas, oil and coal). This is a major challenge, in other words! However, we are not short of solutions. Research has specifically shown that renewable energy had the potential

© R

AD

IUS

IM

AG

ES

/ C

OR

BIS

© D

ON

PA

UL

SO

N /

SU

PE

RS

TO

CK

/ C

OR

BIS

01_

02_

21EYEWITNESS_

the constraints will undoubtedly be more stringent for agriculture, and will involve an adjustment to farming practices.

In your view, what are the priorities for

anticipating and mitigating these effects?

Improving information on the availability of water resources, developing a regional outlook to anticipate the changes required, and developing monitoring and warning tools… These are a few of the guidelines that I believe should be implemented.

From a technical standpoint, we could envisage artificially replenishing groundwater, the use of treated wastewater to irrigate crops or

w “WE NEED TO ORGANISE A GENUINELY INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT PROCESS FOR WATER RESOURCES IN EACH CATCHMENT AREA. IF WE DO NOT IMPROVE THE WAY THAT WATER RESOURCES ARE SHARED BETWEEN STAKEHOLDERS, WE WILL RUN THE RISK OF SEEING CONFLICTS OVER ITS USE INTENSIFY”.

HÉLÈNE VALADE / DIRECTOR OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

are offered to large cities, and also to

medium-sized cities, enables them to

limit their exposure to the risk of flooding.

However, adapting to climate change

has not replaced efforts to mitigate

it; mitigation and adaptation policies

must be implemented at the same

time. The aim is both to reduce GHG(1)

emissions in our area, and to ensure that

our customers “avoid” such emissions.

In its Sustainable Development Roadmap,

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has made a

dated and quantified commitment to

reduce GHG emissions, to which the waste

business activity is making a significant

contribution: by aligning itself with a

circular economy momentum thanks to

the recovery of materials and energy, the

waste business activity is encouraging

the avoidance of GHG emissions and is

becoming a producer of useful energy.

In view of these different areas of

expertise, which are recognised today,

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is now one of the

players in the transition to a low-carbon

economy.

(1) Greenhouse Gas.

“Climate change has a direct impact

on water professions, due to the

consequences that it entails, i.e.

“less water” in an increasing number

of countries, at the same time as

“more water” due to the increase in

extreme weather phenomena like

flooding. To meet this new challenge,

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT is developing

solutions that aim to increase the available

supply of water through desalination

techniques, or techniques for re-using

wastewater. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT,

which produced 800 million m³ of treated

wastewater for industrial or agricultural

purposes in 2013, is the leader in this

new business area. Furthermore, the

development of predictive storm water

management tools, like those that

01_Climate change is likely to deprive Southern countries of rainfall, thereby increasing their vulnerability.

green spaces, or even the optimisation of storage methods. However, I also believe that we need to organise a genuinely integrated management process for water resources in each catchment area. If we do not improve the way that water resources are shared between stakeholders, we will run the risk of seeing conflicts over its use intensify.

What can we expect from the United Nations

Conference scheduled in 2015?

This is a major stage in international climate negotiations. Europe is currently the only region involved in the implementation of the Kyoto Agreements. The conference is intended to raise States’ levels of commitment between 2015 and 2020, but it must primarily enable the emergence of an agreement on the following period that unites the largest possible number of countries.

PREPARING FOR THE CLIMATE OF THE FUTURE WITH SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

© 1

45

/ A

LE

XA

ND

ER

HA

FE

MA

NN

/ O

CE

AN

/ C

OR

BIS

01_

Read Hélène Valade’s interview on the climate at emag.suez-environnement.com

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE22 _EYEWITNESS

“THE CORNERSTONES OF MY JOB ARE FIELD WORK AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS”.

ULF GUSTAFSSON / CENTRAL MANAGER, CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION WASTE, SITA SWEDEN

ULF GUSTAFSSON HAS BEEN WORKING AT SITA SWEDEN,

A SUBSIDIARY OF SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, FOR 15 YEARS.

The Swede, now in his 50s, has studied both Economy and

Marketing and was formerly the manager of the Malmö site,

before becoming the head of sales for southern Sweden. His

rise through the Group can be attributed to his motivation and

enthusiasm, as well as the numerous in-house training courses

he has been able to take advantage of, whether in customer

service, safety or hazardous waste.

In 2010, he became the head of construction and demo-

lition waste at SITA Sweden. In addition to the environmental

challenge, Ulf Gustafsson attaches great importance to the stra-

tegic approach adopted by the businesses and local authorities

which rely on SITA’s expertise. “We’ve adopted a new approach to

waste treatment in our implementation of the SITA Environmental

Circle Construction”, he explains. Sorting is carried out on site

by teams from SITA who then take responsibility for the rest

of the treatment chain. This enables 100% of construction and

demolition waste to be recycled. “This system improves recycling

while prioritising the productivity and economic performance of our

customers. It’s a virtuous circle.”

For this virtuous circle to work, every project has to be defined

upstream. “That’s why I work closely with our customers to best

identify their needs and the most efficient way to meet them”, says

the manager, stressing the importance of human relationships

in his job. “Trust is the cornerstone of every success”, he says.

“This is true both for the customer and my team. I always strive

to facilitate cohesion, sharing and the exchange of good practices,

including between our employees.”

Ulf Gustafsson coordinates four regional teams who work on

the various sites. “I work out in the field. In 2013, I made 55 business

trips, all over Sweden”, he explains.

Recycling increases productivity

— Implemented by SITA Sweden, a Group subsidiary,

SITA Environmental Circle Construction has already been

put to the test at more than 30 building construction

and demolition sites across Sweden. It is now teams

from SITA, not the site workers, who sort the waste and

take responsibility for the rest of the treatment chain.

This service allows 100% of waste to be recycled and

increases the productivity. It also improves the work

environment and the security for the construction workers.

© T

. S

TA

NG

E /

CA

PA

PIC

TU

RE

S

23TALENTS_No. 15_MAY 2014

At a time when water is also becoming scarcer, the agricultural

sector consumes the largest amount of water. In fact,

agriculture has increased its water consumption by a factor of six in

less than a century.

© C

AM

ER

ON

DA

VID

SO

N /

CO

RB

IS

70% of the water

drawdown; this is the proportion

consumed by agriculture

throughout the world.

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE24 _SPECIAL REPORT

AGRICULTURE OF THE FUTURE, REPAIRING AND SAVING IN

ORDER TO PRESERVE MORE WATER RESOURCES

NOWADAYS, FARMERS MUST MEET A DOUBLE CHALLENGE: IMPROVING THE PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITABILITY OF CROPS, WHILE MAKING SURE THAT THEY PRESERVE WATER RESOURCES. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT IS CONSTANTLY

INNOVATING IN ORDER TO GIVE THEM THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE THIS AIM.

No. 15_MAY 2014 25SPECIAL REPORT_

T

PRESERVING WATER RESOURCES SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENTIS WORKING ALONGSIDEFARMERS

he world must face up to a real challenge. With a forecast population of 8 billion inhabitants by 2030, food produc-tion will need to be increased by 50% within the next 15 years, and will need to double between now and 2050(1). However, farmers are currently facing a major problem. In fact, at a time when water resources are becoming scarcer – primarily due to increasing urba-nisation, industrialisation and climate change – the agricultural sector remains the largest consumer of water. According to the CNRS sources, agriculture now uses around three quarters of the water consumed world-wide. This consumption apparently increased by a factor of six between 1900 and 1975.

Crops and livestock-rearing, which require large amounts of water, are reducing water resources everywhere, including in the wealthiest countries.

France, for example, which has around 28 million hectares of far-mland, i.e. 50% of the country’s total area, is the second largest expor-ter of wheat world-wide, and is enjoying record yields. Nonetheless, the country has reached this level in exchange for a level of water consumption that is often too high. It now amounts to 48% of overall French consumption, and up to 79% at the height of the summer(2).

Meanwhile, in the United States, especially in some regions, agricultural irrigation has exceeded the replenishment level of the groundwater for several years. Accordingly, the Ogallala Aquifer(3),

which is one of the largest in the world, has seen its water level decrease to a point where certain regions in Kansas have run dry.

At the same time, Australia, especially the South-Western part of the country, has been suffering from an unprecedented drought since 2001. This critical situation is the result of an intensive consumption of water resources for decades. The population has therefore been for-ced to change its habits over the past few years, starting with farmers, who have abandoned the intensive growing of cereal crops, which are unsuited to the local environment, in order to favour crops that require less irrigation.

The situation is just as worrying in developing countries. Most of these countries use 90% of their fresh water to irrigate their land, compared with 40% in industrialised countries. Moreover, these countries are experiencing strong population growth, which is resul-ting in an increase in farmland and therefore water

THE CONTINUAL INCREASE IN THE WORLD’S POPULATION IS INVARIABLY ACCOMPANIED BY AN INCREASE IN AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT, AT A TIME WHEN THE AMOUNT OF LAND THAT CAN BE CULTIVATED IS DECREASING SHARPLY, AND WATER RESOURCES ARE DWINDLING. IN THIS ENVIRONMENT, HOW CAN FARMERS MEET CONSTANTLY INCREASING DEMAND, WHILE ENSURING THAT THEY PROTECT WATER RESOURCES? SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT IS PUTTING ITS MONEY ON SUPPORTING THEM. EXPLANATIONS.

02_Many developing countries are increasing their crops to cope with

high population growth. In India, solutions like planting trees in order

to replenish water tables are being implemented so that land can be

irrigated during periods of drought.

w


01_Too much water has been drawn from groundwater for a long time to irrigate farmland. The impact is now very severe. Some aquifers(3) have run dry, and the level of ground water is very low.

6 timesthis is the factor by which the amount of water used in agriculture has increased between 1900 and 1975.

SPOTLIGHT ON THE RAIN DROP ORGANISATION The Fonds SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Initiativesis supporting the Rain Drop organisation,which supports the rural population in India. The aim is to raise people’s awareness and teach them new practices, so as to manage their resources in a more sustainable way. To deal with increasingly long periods of drought, and an irregular monsoon season, Rain Drop is building water retention basins, for instance, and is planting trees to replenish water tables. This means that families can draw water from the water tables throughout the year. The projects combine the effectiveness of traditional methods (little dykes and check dams) with more modern methods (drip irrigation and sprinklers), in order to achieve an irrigation system that consumes less water and enables sustainable water management on a more general basis.

© R

ICH

AR

D D

U T

OIT

/ M

IND

EN

PIC

TU

RE

S /

CO

RB

IS©

RA

IN D

RO

P

01_

02_


“I HAVE THE FEELING THAT PEOPLE ARE GENUINELY BECOMING AWARE”.

As someone who works in the field, and pays attention to the soil, Thierry Gaillard describes the importance of assessing it in-depth, in order to be able to take tangible and sustainable measures.

What does your work involve?— Hydro-geologists are involved from the first stage of the research commissioned by the local authority. Our aim is to ensure that the water catchment areas(1) are properly defined. We carry out a certain number of investigations on the sub-soil, in order to define the vulnerability of the aquifers both from a qualitative and quantitative standpoint. This research enables us to assess the water resources’ level of inertia, and therefore their

ability to replenish themselves. Thanks to this research, agronomists can then put forward an action plan, in full knowledge of the facts.

What is your opinion on the current situation?— I have the feeling that farmers are genuinely becoming aware, especially the new generation of farmers, which is more aware, and knows very well that the practices of previous generations are no longer possible today. Our initiative is now perceived as an offer of support, and no longer as an attack on their livelihood. We are all in agreement that things must change, and we must make them change together. It is important for operators like SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT to become involved alongside farmers.

(1) Catchment areas are defined areas where water can be drawn.

THIERRY GAILLARD / HYDRO-GEOLOGIST AT THE WATER RESOURCE UNIT / SAFEGE

01_02_The Group is increasingly developing the “Re-Use” solution,

re-using wastewater, including Degrémont at its Milan San Rocco

wastewater treatment plant, which re-uses waste water for

agricultural purposes (top picture), and United Water, via its West Basin treatment plant, which irrigates and

replenishes the water tables (bottom picture).

© D

R


used for the irrigation. Asia, for instance, monopolises over two-thirds of the world’s irrigated farmland, as rice crops have been increased to cope with the increase in the population.

In all these countries, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT and all other stakeholders are therefore thinking up innovative solutions to be able to handle this serious issue.

WHAT ARE THE SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE?— “Agriculture currently accounts for 70% of all the water that is drawn. This proportion will fall to 40% between now and 2050, as other uses, like domestic or industrial uses, or uses relating to power generation will be prioritised”, explains Rémi Casalis, the Chief Executive Officer of Onova, a joint-venture between the Terrena Agricultural Cooperative and Lyonnaise des Eaux. “The pressure on water resources will therefore increase inexorably. We therefore need to introduce effective solutions to support farmers, with a view to improving the way they use water, and to attach more value to that water to preserve water resources”.

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, which has been working on better water management, and on attaching more value to water since it was founded, has therefore quite naturally made this issue the focus of its priorities for some time.

In fact, the Group is seeking to take action to promote sustainable agriculture. Even though it is innovating for the future, it has already introduced many solutions aimed at meeting farmers’ requirements.

“It is obvious that the irrigation that was practised yesterday is no longer possible today. Farmers must secure their resources. Various solu-tions already exist to achieve this aim and, given the challenges, they are bound to expand. For instance, the Group has introduced solutions that enable the drainage water from plots to be stored in winter to irrigate

the same plots with that water in summer, to re-use wastewater, and to replenish water tables”, adds Rémi Casalis.

In fact, the aim is to stop drawing water directly from groundwa-ter. The time has come for managing the resource in a sustainable way, and for saving it. “I am convinced of the benefit of replenishing groundwater. This technique represents an alternative to building major infrastructure, like dams. By managing storage in an innovative way to limit the environmental impact, this technique will enable us to show that the agriculture created based on this new solution is sustai-nable and environmentally-friendly, and that it has all the attributes to make it acceptable” says Hugues Haeffner, a hydro-geology specialist at Lyonnaise des Eaux.

Repairing and saving are therefore the keywords for envi-ronmentally-friendly agriculture. “The European Commission estimates that overall water losses amount to 40%, including not only losses from drinking water supply networks, but also losses caused by all the misuse and wastage of water resources in the large water cycle. Communications about the scarcity of water and drought must be rewritten. The Commission is therefore asking us to begin by combating this waste, or to use other alternative resources, like re-using treated wastewater, for instance, before planning to increase our drawdowns from water resources” says Daniel Villessot, Scientific Director at Lyonnaise des Eaux.

The use of alternative resources is actually one of the possible answers to the challenges posed by water shortages. In fact, the re-use of wastewater has been widely developed by the Group throughout the world, including by Agbar in Spain, which re-uses the wastewater from its Paguera wastewater treatment plant in Calvia, Mallorca, for agricultural irrigation, and wastewater from the Baix Llobregat wastewater treatment plant to replenish the Barcelona water table, and by United Water, the Group’s subsidiary in California, which uses the advanced West Basin treatment plant for various purposes, including irrigation and replenishing water tables, as well as by Lydec, our Moroccan subsidiary, which is able to irrigate the neighbouring cereal crop fields with its wastewater treatment plant near Casablanca, and lastly by Degrémont, which operates the Milan San Rocco Plant in Italy, a standard-setter in the field, to re-use wastewater for agricultural purposes.

w

w

SPOTLIGHT ON ONOVAThe goal of Onova, a company resulting from a partnership between Lyonnaise des Eaux and the Terrena agricultural cooperative, is to find innovative solutions to meet farmers’ environmental requirements. Its purpose is to help farmers manage water on their farms to secure the productivity and profitability of their livestock and crops.

The Group and Onova have specifically introduced solutions to store the drainage water from plots in winter, in order to re-use it in summer.

© G

DF

SU

EZ

/ A

BA

CA

PR

ES

S /

VA

ND

EV

ILL

E E

RIC

© V

ISIG

O

© A

BA

CA

PR

ES

S /

LIO

NE

L H

AH

N

01_

02_

To find out more,discover Onova’s solutions on onova.fr (french only)


HOWARD WHEATER / DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBAL WATERSAFETY INSTITUTE

“WE NEED TO LOOK AT SOLUTIONS, LIKE RE-USING WASTEWATER, FOR INSTANCE, AND USING WATER IN A MORE REASONABLE AND EFFECTIVE WAY”.

Howard Wheater, an internationally recognised Canadian research scientist, has surrounded himself with brilliant experts, and is working on water issues not only in Western Canada, but also throughout the world.

Water resources are becoming increasingly scarce. What is your opinion on the current situation? — Pressure on water resources at the world-wide level is inevitably increasing, regardless of whether the issue is quality or quantity. In most countries, water is not managed as part of a sustainable approach. People use it as if it were inexhaustible. Unfortunately, this is not the case, and it’s leading to the drying up of waterways, lakes and rivers, and to a sometimes worrying decrease in ground water levels. Where water quality is concerned, the responsibility lies with the various types of

pollution relating to human activities. The chemicals contained in wastewater are having a major impact on aquatic ecosystems, and represent a potential risk to human health. Agriculture has an important role to play both from the quantitative standpoint – as the sector is the largest global water consumer – and from the qualitative standpoint, since fertilisers are a major cause of water pollution.

Water resources are dwindling, while the amount of water used for agricultural activities is constantly increasing at the same time. Can we remain optimistic in this context?— Irrigation is essential for global agricultural output; however, it is obvious that this situation is creating tensions, since the growth in urban populations is resulting in the increased use of water for domestic and industrial purposes. In this context, the various users will therefore need to make choices and look at solutions, like re-using wastewater, for instance, and using water in a more reasonable and effective way. The development of more drought-resistant crops is currently being researhed.

What role must everyone play to reverse the trend?— Water resources are dwindling not only due to the increase in the global population and its urbanisation, but also as a result of increasing drought, which is a consequence of global warming. Awareness is the first key stage for changing things. We all have a role to play to achieve this; however, the future is really in the hands of governments, political leaders, and all the key operators and stakeholders, who must understand this threat in order to get involved in looking at sustainable solutions. The solutions also rely mainly on decision-makers and on the strategies that they adopt.

01_A large number of cereal crop fields in Morocco are

irrigated thanks to the Lydec wastewater treatment plant,

which “re-uses” water.

© D

R


To find out more, discover the “Water and Agriculture TV Mag”w or on suez-environnement.tv / Water section

ATTUNING AGRICULTURE WITH THE ENVIRONMENT — Meeting an increasing demand for water is one reality, while protecting the quality of water resources is another. Farmers, who are often accused of polluting the soil and groundwater with nitrates, are therefore facing an obligation – including a regula-tory obligation resulting from the Framework Water Directive of 23 October 2000 and the European Directive on Nitrates of 4 March 2013(4) – to take action in order to reduce water pollution from nitrates originating from the agricultural sector.

In this regard, SAFEGE, a SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT sub-sidiary, has set up a specialised team within the “Water Resources” Unit to support farmers. Once they have conducted a hydro- geological study that enables the boundaries of the catchment area to be assessed, the experts define the time that it takes for nitrates to be transferred between the soil and the water table, and the areas that are most sensitive to pollution. Agronomists then carry out a survey among the operators in the region, and especially farmers, in order to identify practices that present a high risk for the environment, as well as the obstacles and drivers that will enable them to change. Agronomists then put forward initiatives that enable a good quality of water to be maintained, or reached again, with the assistance of hydro-geologists. “This assessment enables local authorities and farmers to understand the impact of the region’s activities on water quality, and to enter into discussions on the feasibility of the initiatives to introduce” Laetitia Chegard, an agronomist at this Unit, explains.

Agbar, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s Spanish subsidiary, has also designed a decision assistance tool, RegControl. This software calculates and launches the irrigation programme, which is controlled by sensors positioned in the soil, on a daily basis.

“The solution for sustainable agriculture actually resides in the design of tools that enable the right amount of water to be provided to a plant at the right time and in the right place, as well as the right dose of fertiliser, in order to have the least possible impact on the environment” Rémi Casalis sums up.

In this way, agriculture would be required to become a scientific agricultural process, which implements innovative technologies and tools, and is able to model crops’ actual requirements. To achieve this aim, however, there is only one solution, which is to help and support farmers in adopting change, a confirmed priority for SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT.

(1) Source: OCDE.(2) Source: 2010 Report of the French Council of State.(3) An aquifer is a geological formation that contains water either on a temporary or permanent basis, and that consists of permeable rock that is capable of replenishing this water either naturally or via its use.(4) Both directives set targets for protecting and restoring the condition of surface and ground water.

w

02_SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT makes it a point of honour to maintain a dialogue with and support farmers, as in this case with Xavier Dupuis, whose group, which receives financial support from Lyonnaise des Eaux, is helping his peers to convert to organic farming.

© R

AD

IUS

IM

AG

ES

/CO

RB

IS©

WIL

LIA

M D

AN

IEL

S

01_

02_


01 02

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT IS HIGHLIGHTING ITS CONVICTIONS THROUGH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONSSUPPORTING FARMERS, LISTENING TO THEIR CONSTRAINTS, AND OFFERING THEM INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS… ARE ALL INITIATIVES IMPLEMENTED IN THE FIELD, IN FRANCE AND THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BY SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES. SPOTLIGHT.

RE-USING WATER VIA “RE-USE”The Group has developed the re-use process on a large scale throughout the world. This technology, which is used by United Water, a SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT subsidiary at its West Basin facility, is one of the most advanced waste water recycling technologies in the world. This facility is the only one capable of producing five separate types of recycled water, not only for agricultural irrigation, but also for replenishing water tables and industrial use. In Southern Australia, the recycling of wastewater, which is specifically carried out by the wastewater treatment plants in Adelaide, operated by Allwater, a partnership between SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT and SA Water, enables the pressure on natural resources to be reduced, and so guarantee the irrigation of all the neighbouring farmland. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has also contributed to the AgAdapt project, which stands for Adapting water use by the agricultural sector, in partnership with INRA, and as part of the Climate-KIC(1). The aim of this initiative is to develop and roll out new methods to optimise water use in the agricultural sector. How is this done? By developing models to manage water resources at the regional level, and tools for rationalising irrigation, and by capitalising on the operational management feedback from water re-use systems in Europe.

(1) Knowledge and Innovation Community.

ENCOURAGING NEW INITIATIVESPreserving water resources will involve the adoption of new practices. Farmers, who are currently often required to review their water consumption and to monitor the soil pollution attributable to nitrates, must now make real choices. Some of them, whom the Lyonnaise des Eaux and Safege teams are helping to implement an action plan, are opting to diversify their crops to put less pressure on the soil. Adding alfafa to existing cereal crops enables a reduction in the amount of nitrogen-based fertilisers used thanks to its ability to use airborne nitrogen, and to its low chemical treatment requirement. Others are focusing on organic farming. This solution is highly recommended by Lyonnaise des Eaux, which has teamed up with the Organic Farmers Group that operates in the Yvelines Region in France, to help farmers make this transition. Accordingly, farmers can receive training on this type of farming, individual support when they make the transition, and help with obtaining subsidies in order to successfully carry out their plans.

© A

BA

CA

PR

ES

S /

LIO

NE

L H

AH

N

© W

ILL

IAM

DA

NIE

LS


03

04 05

PROTECTING WATER RESOURCESNitrascope is the result of a joint research programme conducted by Safege, Lyonnaise des Eaux, and the International Water and Environmental Research Centre (CIRSEE). This decision assistance tool assesses the current and future levels of nitrate concentrations in water tables and identifies the most appropriate solutions for combating diffuse nitrate pollution. First, hydro-geologists and agronomists perform a field study and identify the land use, the types of crops, and the nitrates added, in order to model the operation of the catchment basin that is being studied. Nitrascope then draws up a map of the priority measures and the areas where a preventive approach will have a significant impact on water quality. It then tests the effectiveness of various preventive measure scenarios.

INNOVATION TO BOOST PERFORMANCE RegControl®, which has been developed by Agbar, a SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT subsidiary, is a watering system that summarises agronomic and meteorological data in real time, in order to calculate crops’ water requirements, depending on their specific features. Irrigation and fertigation(1) operations are conducted automatically on a daily basis in accordance with all these parameters, which can be controlled remotely. Accordingly, on a given plot, the farmer and a RegControl specialist establish an irrigation strategy based on the crop concerned, the soil and the requirements. RegControl®, which has been specifically introduced to irrigate five holdings in the Reimat District, i.e. 250 hectares in one of Spain’s largest vineyards, has enabled an improvement in the quality of the wine and a decrease in costs, both in terms of water and energy usage.

(1) Fertigation means fertilising and irrigation at the same time.

INTEGRATE DATA TO OPTIMISE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIONBlue Orange (the SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT corporate venture fund) and Demeter Partners through its Demeter 3 Seed Fund are supporting the development of Agri-Esprit with a capital injection of one million euros. Agri-Esprit, a young company specialising in the design and implementation of software-supported systems for farming and agribusiness, offers comprehensive solutions ranging from sensors to software for more reliably minimising water use in industrial farming, fertilisers and phytosanitary products, taking weather into account. At the heart of this innovative system, the software offers farmers unprecedented access to agricultural data ranging from near-real-time information captured in the field, to parameters from weather forecasts and agronomic models. It facilitates data acquisition and data matching and boosts analysis capabilities. Farmers can thus enrich, adapt and make operational decisions faster as part of the continuous improvement of practices and performance.

© W

ILL

IAM

DA

NIE

LS

© W

ILL

IAM

DA

NIE

LS

© G

DF

SU

EZ

/ D

UR

EU

IL P

HIL

IPP

E


To find out more, discover the video on RegControlw or on suez-environnement.tv / Innovation section

THE FIRST CONCRETE MADE FROM RECOVERED WASTE

C’URBAN

ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY, INNOVATIVE AND 100% LOCAL: C’URBAN CONCRETE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF

SITA’S COMMITMENT TO WASTE RECOVERY. “Concrete is usually

made of sand and gravel, natural resources that are in decline,”

explains Jean-Baptiste Miguaise, CEO of Recydem, a subsidiary of

SITA. “In order to conserve them, we have developed a new product –

C’Urban concrete. It’s made from river sediments, foundry sand and

demolition rubble – materials recycled by SITA in the region which are

traditionally recovered and used when laying foundations for roads.”

It took over a year and a half to develop this new type of concrete

– the first to be based on recovered river sediments and mineral

waste – along with the support of the engineering company Neo-Eco

Recycling and the École des Mines in Douai, France.

The environmental challenges addressed by C’Urban meant that

the SITA-led project was able to gain the support of the region’s

ERDF(1) via the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region Team2(2) competitive-

ness cluster and integrate the “Sedimatériaux” approach(3).

“This process of innovation, developed in partnership with public and

private partners, along with the project’s environmentally-friendly

and local approach, are perfectly integrated into the circular economy

and into the very fabric of SITA and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT,” says

Jean-Baptiste Miguaise.

Now that the R&D stage is complete, SITA recently signed a par-

tnership with Doublet, a manufacturer based near Lille, France, and

specialising in communications media, reception structures and

welded constructions to build cycle parks made of C’Urban concrete.

“This very resilient concrete is perfectly suited to urban facilities. We

are currently prototyping the “Octave” bike stand. If this first street test

is successful, the range of possible applications could be enormous.”

With this integration of recycled waste into the urban landscape,

SITA is playing its part in a 100% local recycling chain.

(1) European Fund for Regional Development.(2) The Environmental Technologies Applied to Materials (TEAM2) competitiveness cluster, established in France’s Nord-Pas de-Calais region, develops and researches industrial applications in the field of ecotechnology, eco-materials, recycling and environmental remediation in France.(3) An eco-project dedicated to recycling with a focus on minerals and wood.

© P

HIL

IPP

E H

OU

ZÉ

“THIS CONCRETE IS VERY ROBUST AND 100% ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY – PERFECT FOR USE IN

URBAN FACILITIES. IF THIS FIRST STREET TEST IS SUCCESSFUL, THE RANGE OF POSSIBLE APPLICATIONS

COULD BE ENORMOUS.”

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE34 _INNOVATIONS

To find out more,discover the video about C’Urbanw or on suez-environnement.TV, Innovation section (french only)

“MY REMIT: COMMUNICATING, ANTICIPATING, PAYING ATTENTION TO PLANNING, AND TO THE QUALITY OF THE RESULTS”.

JÉRÔME DE DOMPSURE / DIRECTOROF THE VERNÉA WASTE RECOVERY UNIT

ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONS: A CALLING THAT JÉRÔME DE DOMPSURE FOLLOWED AS SOON AS HE OBTAINED HIS CIVIL WORKS ENGINEERING DEGREE. He then headed towards

the water sector. “This highly technical and multi-disciplinary area,

which has a great future, matched to what I wanted to do, i.e. build

and create”, he explains.

Accordingly, Jérôme de Dompsure spent 20 years with the

Water Management Department at Lyonnaise des Eaux. He then

began looking for a position in the waste-to-energy recovery

sector, still within the Group, “which matched my own sustainable

development values”.

In June 2011, SITA offered him the opportunity to take part in

designing the “Vernéa” facility, in Clermont-Ferrand, France. The

aim of this unit was to assemble all the waste treatment lines

at one site. This was a fi rst for the Puy de Dôme and Nord de

la Haute Loire Region. Today, this facility treats and recovers

around 230,000 tonnes of waste gathered from the Region’s

650,000 inhabitants as energy or compost every year.

“This project was innovative and ambitious”. Jérôme de

Dompsure comments. The project management team, which

originally consisted of a management team, a secretary and a

communications offi cer, subsequently expanded very rapidly.

“It was a small but highly responsive unit. We could also count on the

support of SITA and the SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT Group’s resources”.

Jérôme de Dompsure , who is in charge of the Vernéa Project,

was then involved in assembling all the skills, energy and tech-

nologies available in order to meet the targets set by the Grenelle

Environmental Round Table, including a recovery rate of at least

45% for household and similar waste by 2015.

“Communicating, anticipating, paying attention to planning, and

to the quality of the results”. The work never stops. Meanwhile, the

role as team captain is not unappealing to this rugby fan.

“Vernéa, where the technical excellence is recognised by everyone,

now has 52 employees. This multi-line unit will produce 6,500 tonnes

of compost and biogas every year, and around 2,000 MWh per week.

This is a great success, from a technical, environmental and fi nancial

standpoint. It was our team’s goal, and we achieved it” Jérôme de

Dompsure concludes with a smile.

Spotlight on Vernéa

— The Vernéa Project, which was entrusted to SITA for a

20-year period by the Puy-de-Dôme and Nord de la Haute-

Loire Household Waste Association (VALTOM), as part of a

public service delegation, enables the waste generated by

the region’s 650,000 inhabitants to be treated every year.

This multi-line unit will meet the facility’s electricity

requirements every year, as well as those of its

70,000 inhabitants. It will produce 6,500 tonnes of certifi ed

compost every year, as well as biogas. Vernéa will increase

the recovery ratio for the region’s waste from 35 to

70%, well above the recommendations of the Grenelle

Environmental Round Tables.

© P

. A

IMA

R /

CA

PA

PIC

TU

RE

S

35TALENTS_No. 15_MAY 2014

To find out more,discover the video on the Vernéa websitew or on suez-environnement.tv / Waste section

RECYCLED PAINT: WASTE BECOMESA PRODUCT AGAIN

SITA IN THE NETHERLANDS

“THE REPAINT INNOVATION MEASURES UP TO THE

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGE”, says Jakob Huisman, Director of

the Hazardous Waste department of SITA in the Netherlands. This

innovation consists of producing sustainable paint from paint scraps

of water-based paint.

The project, called SITA RePaint, was set up in 2012 and is run

jointly by SITA teams in the Netherlands and the VVVF, the Dutch

association for the paint and printing ink industry. “Our point of

departure was with a worrying observation. Each year, in the

Netherlands, ten million kilos of leftover water-based paint were sent

to incineration even though it is a valuable raw material”, explains

Jakob Huisman.

On the strength of their respective expertise, SITA and the VVVF

created a new pathway for “old” buckets of paint, collected mainly

from households. The unused material, on average 20%, is recove-

red and then recycled. It has thus become a raw material for pro-

ducing a new paint, with the right specifi cations to meet industry

requirements. “We are counting on processing 3.5 million kilos of paint

per year, enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool!” says

Mr Huisman. “Ultimately, this recycling will mean a 72% benefi t for

the environment, and11,000 tonnes less CO2.” The process is therefore

innovative: SITA delivers the secondary raw material with which

paint producers make the paint again.

The fi rst can of recycled paint was sold in December 2013 in the

Netherlands, under the name Evert Koning, a trademark of the

Dutch producer Ursa Paint. Other manufacturers may also use the

recycled ingredient Repaint, which has received the status of

“raw material” from the Dutch Ministry for Infrastructure and the

Environment.

“Since the start of the year, the product has found its place in the

market very easily, in home improvement stores and stores for the

professional painter”, notes Jakob Huisman. “This really shows that

protecting the environment is everyone’s business!”

THE INVOLVEMENT OF SITAIN NORTHERN EUROPE In the heart of Europe’s industrial basin, Northern Europe (Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands) has long been a fast learner in waste collection, management and recycling. It is a virtuous circle to which SITA contributes greatly, using its expertise to serve more than 16 million private individuals, and 210,000 industrial and commercial clients.

© M

OO

DB

OA

RD

/ C

OR

BIS

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE36 _INNOVATIONS

A 2.0 PLATFORM ON

THE FUTURE OF WASTE

Future of Waste (FoW), THE

collaborative platform that promotes

innovative projects and smart

solutions relating to the future of

waste, has been online since the

beginning of March. As a first of its

kind, it assembles a community of

people who are passionate about

seeking to develop discussions

and knowledge, as well as about

promoting original projects on smart

waste collection, the recovery of

materials, waste-to-energy recovery,

social innovation, and the arts.

This initiative is backed by SITA

and MakeSense, the social

entrepreneurship support network.

w futureofwaste.org

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO

KNOW ABOUT SUSTAINABLE

DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT

THE WORLD

The United Nations has set up a

comprehensive website regarding

the challenges posed by sustainable

development throughout the world.

The website lists all the documents

that relate to inter-governmental

conferences, including Rio +20, as

well as the action programmes.

It also includes a calendar of

forthcoming events, as well as

various projects implemented

throughout the world with the

support of the United Nations.

w sustainabledevelopment.un.org

IE EXPO 2014

20/05/2014 w 22/05/2014

Shanghai, China

IE Expo, which is the largest

environmental technology tradeshow

in Asia, assembled 834 exhibitors

from 28 countries, and attracted

over 30,000 visitors in 2013. In

addition to the topics of wastewater

treatment, water management, and

the decontamination of facilities,

the tradeshow will also address the

topic of controlling atmospheric

pollution. SITA Waste Services,

Sino-French Water and Degrémont,

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s

subsidiaries in China, will be in

attendance.

w ie-expo.com

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL

WATER WEEK

01/06/2014 w 05/06/2014

Singapore, Singapore

International Water Week in

Singapore is a major event, which

is recognised by operators in the

water and sustainable city sectors

It’s in the air Out and aboutOn the Web

CSR AND SOCIAL MEDIA:

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT HAS BEEN

RANKED IN THE GLOBAL TOP 10

In the fourth edition of the Social

Media Sustainability Index, SUEZ

ENVIRONNEMENT was ranked

10th world-wide, and the top French

company for its involvement in CSR

in social media. In fact, the Group

stands out among 474 companies as

a result of its various communication

channels, like the eMag, for instance.

w sustainly.com/social-media- sustainability-index-2013

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT TV,

“REALITY TV”

Take a video tour of the Melbourne

desalination plan, follow the reports

on the water and waste businesses,

and read the employee profiles.

You can also watch the TV Mag to

get explanations on today’s major

environmental issues.

w suez-environnement.tv

A FINE RECORD

The 2014 SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT

Innovation Trophies event rewarded

28 projects. The entrants once again

demonstrated their commitment

and creativity this year. The

projects presented – like the Sirène

3.0 system, which warns of damage to

a host environment during periods of

rainfall (p. 15), C’Urban, SITA France’s

new generation recycled concrete

(p. 34), or RePaint, the recycled

paint launched by SITA (p. 36) are a

perfect demonstration of the fact

that innovation was indeed one of the

Group’s priorities.

throughout the world. With over

19,000 attendees in 2013, the

event aims to be a global platform

for sharing and innovations

relating to water issues. SUEZ

ENVIRONNEMENT is a founding

partner of World Water Week,

and will attend all the events

organised during the seventh World

Water Week, including the oral

presentations and speeches given by

managers and experts, including the

Water Convention, etc.

w siww.com.sg

IWA WORLD WATER CONGRESS

AND EXHIBITION

21/09/2014 w 26/09/2014

Lisbon, Portugal

The International Water Association

(IWA), organises its World Water

Congress every two years. The

next Congress, which is the ninth

event, will take place in Lisbon,

Portugal. It is expected to bring

together over 5,000 attendees,

who are all operators in the water

cycle, from research to services.

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT will be in

attendance.

w iwa2014lisbon.org

First quarter 2014 resultsOperating performance in linewith objectives— On 24 April, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT announced its results for

the first quarter of 2014.

With €3.4 billion of revenue (1.2% organic growth), EBITDA of

€552 million (3.2% organic growth) and a €168 million drop in net

debt over the quarter, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s performance

is in line with its objectives and consolidates its financial flexibility.

The Water Europe division performed well with organic growth

of 3.7%, thanks to the efficient continuation of its sales policy,

the development of new services and favourable pricing indexes.

The significant increase in the Waste Europe division observed at

the end of the year is continuing with a 1.7% increase in treated

volumes. The international division’s revenue was up, though the

segment dropped 3% overall due to the cyclic nature of Degremont’s

businesses, a result, in particular, of the termination of some

contracts in Chile and the Middle East.

© V

ISIG

O

37MILESTONES_No. 15_MAY 2014

LOIC AND GEOFFROY DE LA TULLAYE / EXPLORERS

TWO BROTHERS CRAZY ABOUT WATER

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT MAGAZINE38 _PERSPECTIVES

WAYFARERS FOR WATER, the brothers and fellow explorers Loïc and Geoffroy de la Tullaye have been roaming the world since 2002 gathering information about water usage and practices. Loïc is an agricultural engineer and Geoffroy hails from the world of finance and stock markets. After some years in business and four round-the-world expeditions lasting several months, they created BIGLO, the first agency acting for business, institutions and the public in promoting awareness on the subjects of water and sustainable development. The agency sees itself as the medium and channel for communicating the la Tullaye brothers’ experience from over ten years of fieldwork. They aim to raise public awareness of water challenges while generating synergies to drive research into practical and innovative solutions. Taking “responsibility and commitment” as their watchwords, the la Tullaye brothers today produce media about water-related issues and divide their time between expeditions and consulting at their agency, BIGLO(2).

has been a part of our lives for over ten years. It really

all started in 2002. We’d wanted to undertake a round-

the-world trip for a long while, but we didn’t just want

to wander around the globe in search of personal

experiences. We were looking to build something, create value, and get things moving.

Then we got interested in water, its power, the potential it brings. We decided then to

make it the common thread and the driving force behind our trip! That was how the

Hydrotour project came about. It just so happened that 2003 was the International

Year of Fresh Water, which begged the question of the supply of drinking water for

our planet.

We then went visiting 34 countries and spent 15 months looking for initiatives by

individuals, organisations and businesses that were to do with water conservation.

That expedition was a turning point for us! It made us realise the almost magical

phenomenon of simply being able to turn on the tap and get water. While for us it

may be a routine matter, for millions of people around the world accessing water is

far from simple.

In the years following, we undertook three other expeditions (1) that led us from one

set of questions to another. On our Yangtze expedition we crossed China, from west to

east, and saw how access to water is a critical factor for development. Over a period of

four months, our Kashgar expedition showed us the changing globalisation of trade

and its impact on water resources. Then as we travelled along the East African Rift

Valley, we covered over 13,000 kilometres with one single question on our minds: will

there be enough water on Earth for nine billion inhabitants by 2050?

Thanks to financial support from SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, which was absolu-

tely essential, we were able to fund the filming and editing of our latest expeditions.

Thousands of people have followed our films on France 5 (a French TV channel)

or posted on the web. We weren’t trying to lecture anyone with these films, but to

offer them some food for thought, empower them and raise their awareness. Who is

actually aware that it takes 11,000 litres of water to make a pair of jeans? Given the

large audiences, we realised that these issues do interest the general public.

This global approach led us to set up BIGLO in 2005, an awareness-raising agency

concerned solely with water and sustainable development issues. It complemented

our projects and allowed us to put our vision of sustainable development to use for

the benefit of our customers and partners.

Our next destination? In April 2014, we are off to the New World! Our trip through

Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Chile deals with technology and focused on a question we are

not alone in asking: could water be capable of bringing our development ambitions

to a halt?

Water helps us to better understand our origins. How can we know where we

are going if we don’t know where we are from? Each dive into the world of water is

a voyage in time and space for us. As the French poet, dramatist and diplomat Paul

Claudel said, water is “the earth’s gaze, its time gauge”.

(1) Yangtze in 2008, Kashgar in 2010 and Rift Valley in 2012.(2) The BIGLO agency comprises three main areas of expertise: Consulting, Production, Facilitation.

WATER ©

BIG

LO

. T

HE

LA

TU

LL

AY

E B

RO

TH

ER

S

To find out more (french only):w lesfrereslatullaye.frw facebook.com/LesfreresLaTullayew twitter.com/freresLaTullayew biglo.fr

© B

IGL

O.

TH

E L

A T

UL

LA

YE

BR

OT

HE

RS

39PERSPECTIVES_No. 15_MAY 2014

That is why SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT can turn up to 150 billion liters of seawater into drinking water every year at its Melbourne desalination plant and meet one third of the city’s water needs. Discover how on emag.suez-environnement.com

MAKING THE PLANET SUSTAINABLE IS THE BEST JOB ON EARTH

NOW WE KNOW FOR SURE, THERE IS WATER IN THE SEA.

Magazine SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT...n October 2009, Degrémont Industry, a SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT subsidiary,...

Documents

Transcript of Magazine SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT...n October 2009, Degrémont Industry, a SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT subsidiary,...