The highlights of this contracts include discounted prices for the first 60,000 liters of drinking water and treated wastewater, improved network efficiency and automated meter-reading.
Jean-Paul ALDUY, President of the Perpignan Méditerranée Authority and Jean-Michel HERREWYN, CEO of Veolia Water, have signed the new O&M delegated management contracts for drinking water and sanitation services to be delivered to the municipalities of Perpignan, Bompas, Canohès and Le Soler.
The contracts, involving efficient and innovative services, cover a term of 12 years, and will take effect on January 1, 2012 in Perpignan and Canohès, and in the second half of the year in Bompas and Le Soler.
As the authority in charge of water management, Perpignan Méditerranée Communauté d'Aglomération had started back in 2010 to search for the best solutions in terms of costs and service quality to manage the water supply and wastewater treatmentin the area under its scope of competence. The O&M delegated management model was found to be potentially more efficient than re-municipalizing the public utility services, and the local authorities subsequently issued a call for bids in early 2011, with the resulting contracts awarded to Veolia Water (decision adopted on October 20).
Savings and social responsibility
Thanks to the new contracts, service rates have been optimized, generating around 55 euro per household on average in financial profit, thereby benefitting both consumers and municipal investments.
The social tariff mechanism initiated back in 2010 was further amplified, with the first 60,000 liters of drinking water and treated wastewater to be billed by Veolia Water at a third of the normal price.
This "bonus" awarded for low consumption, combining concerns for social and environmental responsibility, is also intended to facilitate the introduction of individual water meters, essential to guarantee the responsible engagement of each end user.
Innovations and sustainability
In line with the commitment to sustainable development adopted by the Perpignan Méditerranée authority and its municipalities, Veolia Water will deliver novel solutions designed to respond efficiently to social and environmental challenges, via some twenty innovations benefitting the entire territory; these include among others remote meter-reading by 2015 for all 44,500 customers, improved network efficiency with a target of nearly 85%, carbon-neutral services achieved by reducing energy consumption and producing renewable energy via solar power and biogas co-generation.
These initiatives will be complemented by a tree plantation program financed by a Sustainable Development Fund*.
* To be fuelled by 2% of Veolia Water's sales revenue, dedicated to development aid in South countries, to welfare support and to environmental protection.