Algiers water management handed over to Suez-Environnement

15/01/2006

Drinking water management for Algiers has been handed over to French firm Suez-Environment via a partnership contract signed with Algerian authorities aimed at guaranteeing daily drinking water for those living in the city.

By Lyes Aflou for Magharebia in Algiers – 15/01/06

[File] Water resources are a valuable commodity in Algeria

The Algerian government reached a 120m-euro agreement with French firm Suez-Environnement 28 November to improve water management in Algiers through modernisation of the water distribution network. Within three-and-a-half years, the goal is for water distribution service to be available 24 hours of every day to the people of Algiers. If the experiment proves successful, the plan will also be implemented in Oran, Annaba and Constantine.

Suez project director Didier Audebaud explained this week that a work plan has been set out to meet the challenge. It centres on the overall modernisation of water and sanitation systems linked to the government's investment programme and Suez passing on its expertise in training local teams.

The work to be carried out is based on a diagnosis showing that the water supply network is on its last legs, which is causing uncontrollable water loss through frequent leaks. The need exists to renew and repair the network, carry out a thorough review of facilities, improve infrastructure performance, introduce maintenance tools adapted to the latest technology, and modernise customer service. The programme will stretch over five years.

Suez, which garners 80 per cent of its business from Europe, thinks its worldwide-respected technical expertise is sufficient to serve the Algerian Water Company and the National Sanitation Office.

Though Algiers has drinking water sources from dammed reservoirs, seawater desalination plants and groundwater deposits, the population has become accustomed to frequent and lengthy water supply interruptions.

Audebaud thinks success will be achieved through "preserving the resources currently in play. We shall adopt a policy of effective water resource management, pushing through and optimising the renewal of networks and tracking down leaks for example".

The company performed similar work in Casablanca in 2003, allowed more than 25 million square metres of water to be saved, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of 800,000 people, according to Audebaud.

Suez-Environnement, which is also showing an interest in plans for other cities, already has a presence in Algeria through recently-launched projects for the construction and operation of a water production plant in Constantine, a seawater desalination plant in Oran and setting up a drinking water production plant for the Tizi Ouzou region.