PARIS, May 19, 2008 -- Veolia Water, via OTV, a subsidiary of Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, has been awarded two major design-build contracts by the SIAAP, the wastewater authority for the Paris area in France.
As leader of the consortium for both projects, Veolia Water will be in charge of bringing the Seine Aval wastewater treatment plant in Achères into compliance with the EU's Urban Wastewater Directive. With a capacity of 1.7 million cubic meters per day during dry weather, the plant is the biggest of its kind in Europe.
The world leader in water treatment will also execute the second section of the Seine Grésillons wastewater treatment plant in Triel sur Seine. The works will triple the plant's capacity and bring it into compliance with the European Framework Directive and the French Water Act, which sets a target for the good ecological status of the River Seine.
The turnover for these two contracts is worth a cumulated total of €224.1 million euros over the period for the company.
Commenting on the contracts Antoine Frérot, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia Water explained, "These two contracts confirm the trust afforded by the SIAAP -- one of the world's biggest and most demanding wastewater authority -- in our expertise in the design and implementation of high-tech treatment solutions. Against a backdrop of European regulations that are imposing excellence, we are continuing the major environmental combat to conserve the Seine's water quality."
Veolia Water will implement its sophisticated technological solutions to ensure the compliance of the treated wastewater discharged into the Seine by these two plants, which deal with two-thirds of the effluent generated in the Paris area.
At Seine Aval, the priority is to continue the work on effluent denitrification, the first phase of which was completed in 2006. The denitrification capacity will be increased to treat 30% of incoming effluent during dry weather. Denitrification will be ensured by the Biostyr® process. The Biosep® immersed membrane bioreactor process will assure the filtration of water coming from treated sludge.
The contract is worth a total amount of €287 million Euros for the consortium (1), of which Veolia Water's share is €135.4 million Euros. Following the works and the hand-over phase, the plant will be operational in 2011 and final delivery will take place at the end of 2012.
At Seine Grésillons, the second contract covers the design-build of the second section of the wastewater treatment plant. Veolia Water is the leader of the consortium involved (2).
The contract awarded by SIAAP is worth a total amount of €312 million Euros, of which Veolia Water's share is €88.7 million Euros.
This second construction phase will triple the size of the existing plant, increasing its capacity to 300,000 m³/day. Carbon, nitrogen and phosphorous treatment will be provided by the Biostyr® process and by primary and tertiary lamellar settling. A cogeneration plant will produce electricity on the site.
The schedule has set delivery at the end of 2012, after construction and hand-over, followed by a 22-month period of technical support.
SIAAP is a public company that treats the wastewater generated by more than 8 million people in the Paris area, as well as the area's stormwater, in order to return water that is suitable for natural development to the Seine and Marne rivers.
Veolia Water, the water division of Veolia Environnement, specializes in the delegated management of water and wastewater services for municipal authorities, as well as industrial and service companies.
(1) Made up of OTV, consortium leader, with Eiffage TP for the civil engineering work, the Luc Weizmann architecture firm and Bonnard & Gardel consulting engineers for project management.
(2) Made up of OTV, consortium leader, with Stereau, Bouygues TP in partnership with SPIE Batignolles TPCI for the civil engineering work, and the Dominique Lelli architecture firm.###
