The Société d'Energie et d'Eau du Gabon (SEEG), a subsidiary of Vivendi Water, inaugurated the sixth tranche of the Ntoum water treatment plant, which increased production from 98,000 m3/d to 158,000 m3/d. The Ntoum facility produces more than 70% of drinking water produced in Gabon, and is located 40 kilometres from Libreville.
The Ntoum plant has been supplying drinking water to the people of Libreville and the Estuaire region since 1966, but its daily output could not meet current demand of 110,000 m3/d. The Gabonese capital population constantly grows and suburbs are often created without any planning, yet they need drinking water. Since June 1997 when Vivendi Water signed a 20-year concession contract with the Gabonese government to supply water and electricity services, the company has owned 51% of SEEG under a privatisation programme. Shareholders' equity financed some improvements: 41 km of pipe were laid and 8,000 connections were made.
SEEG management invested g13 million to increase production capacity of the Ntoum plant, which takes water from the small Nzeme river. Vivendi Water Systems and Vinci built the extension. SOGEA provided the civil engineering for reservoirs, filters, settling tanks and other works.