Veolia Water - a stakeholder in the small water cycle - contributes on a daily basis to public health and the quality of life of local communities. Championing the environmental large water cycle (rivers, lakes and aquifers, the responsibility for which usually falls on public authorities), the company is pro-active in this area by instigating practical initiatives to conserve resources.

Historically, wastewater and water services have always been treated separately. However, water supply and production as well as the collection and treatment of wastewater are key stages in the same water cycle. Water and wastewater services both come up against the same problem - sustainable water management.

We cannot ignore the influence of man on the world's water cycle. Overexploited and polluted resources or even incompletely treated wastewater have a direct impact on the quality and quantity of water resources. Knowledge and protection of resources therefore lie at the heart of dealing with the water problem.

Sustainable water management has to take into account this development for both water and wastewater services. We also need to go beyond the "clean" water/wastewater divide by developing alternative and innovative technologies, such as the recycling of treated wastewater for other uses such as sprinkler systems, industrial processes or recharging aquifers.