Access to water and sanitation are among the essential services that are indispensable in order for local communities to live with dignity and have a decent life. An essential factor in the improvement of health and sanitary conditions, access to water services lies at the heart of sustainable development.
Solidarity
Solidarity in promoting access to water services for all
Local authorities must meet numerous challenges in order to improve cohesion and solidarity with vulnerable people living in their area.
Veolia Water works with them in developing countries as well as in developed countries. It provides its expertise along with social initiatives and ensures that solidarity is an integral part of its water and wastewater services.
The social measures used by Veolia Water are also aimed at supporting highly vulnerable people. They assist them in turning their situation around by helping them control their water consumption or even offering them financial solutions. Specially trained employees provide a personal and unreserved welcome.
In addition, Veolia Water is rolling out more and more water offices to provide better access to disabled people. It has also developed services for the blind (billing in Braille) as well as replacing the need to use the telephone with communication systems specially adapted for the hard of hearing.
Solutions for emerging nations
As part of its commitment to the UN's Millennium Goals, Veolia Water endeavours to make access to drinking water and sanitation a reality. The company provides technical, commercial and financial solutions which are tailored to local needs and to what local communities can afford to pay.
At the request of local authorities, Veolia Water also deploys pricing system solutions which are socially acceptable to all. A combination of different levels of solidarity can be organized, when the regulatory environment permits it, between domestic customers as consumers (block tariffs); geographical areas (outlying villages - which are therefore difficult to connect - do not pay the real or full connection cost); or by pooling together services, as the cost of water services can not always be covered by water revenue alone. Solutions can be found when Veolia Water is also responsible for the electricity service such as is the case in Morocco and Gabon (the revenue gained from providing electricity can help to finance water services).
In order to adapt to what local communities can afford to pay, Veolia Water may suggest that part of each home's water consumption is subsidized. This allows everyone to cover their basic needs. Another possibility is for payment of the cost for new connections to be spread over several years.
Solutions are found and made available to those living near to water supply points. When individual connection to the water or wastewater network proved impossible, Veolia Water can install communal water hydrants.
Making the Right to Water for All a Reality
In Gabon, since 1997 when the contract between SEEG (Société des eaux et de l'electricité du Gabon which is 51% owned by Veolia Water) and the Gabon State was signed, the supply coverage, i.e. the percentage of people receiving drinking water, has increased by 70 %. The number of customers during this period rose from 59,200 to 107,000.
In Niger 96% of SEEN's (Société d'exploitation des eaux du Niger) domestic water customers pay their water bills. An excellent percentage given their low incomes. The explanation for this lies in the good quality service and that tariffs have been adapted to how much people can actually afford to pay.
In Morocco the number of socially assisted (i.e. subsidized) connections carried out by companies managed by Veolia Water is growing each year. From late 2002 to 2006 Redal and Amendis made 30,024 social water connections.
Humanitarian assistance
Emergency response unit Veolia Waterforce
The task of Veolia Water's emergency response unit (Water Force) is to respond anywhere in the world by sending in a team of experts and equipment to assist local authorities and NGOs to deal with the crisis. Veolia Water Force assits local communities in restoring their water supply as well as their health facilities.