The Hérault Méditerranée Urban Community renews its contract with SUEZ to deliver sustainable water and wastewater services benefiting the region and its residents

Turning sanitation services into a driver of energy sovereignty in Occitanie

In Agde, sanitation is becoming a driver of economic development and the energy transition. The Posidonia wastewater treatment plant, which serves of the cities of Agde and Vias, will benefit from a €14 million investment to install an anaerobic digester for sludge treatment and energy recovery, designed to handle seasonal variations in flow while optimising energy output. From 2029, the facility will produce 3.6 GWh of biomethane per year, which will be injected into the GRDF gaz network—equivalent to the consumption of 570 households—thereby contributing to regional energy sovereignty.

Reusing wastewater to ease pressure on resources

This contract prioritises treated wastewater reuse, with Agde being one of the pioneers in France: since 2020, the Hérault Méditerranée Urban Community has been irrigating the golf course with recycled water, avoiding the annual pumping of 200,000 m³ of drinking water.

With this new contract, the territory is going a step further: up to 600,000 m³ of recycled water meeting the most stringent standards (Class A+) will be reused each year, including 200,000 m³ for golf course irrigation, and additional volumes for networks hydro-flushing, street cleaning, and fire and rescue operations. As of 2033, recycled water will as also be used for hull maintenance at the Port of Cap d’Agde, watering of the rugby stadium, and vehicle cleaning at the municipal technical center. To achieve this level of quality, the Posidonia wastewater treatment plant’s existing membrane ultrafiltration line will be supplemented by combined chlorine and ultraviolet (UV) desinfection.

Long-term strategic choices tailored to the region

SUEZ will continue to produce and distribute drinking water to 18,000 users and support the Hérault Méditerranée Urban Community’s water policy ambitions.

Under sustained pressure on water resources, the Urban Community has proactively adapted its model. As a major tourist destination with pronounced seasonal population swings, it introduced one of France’s first seasonal water tariffs in 2014 to balance tourist appeal, infrastructure funding, and summertime resource conservation. Thanks to more than fifteen years of sustained investment, the local authority now benefits from high-performing infrastructure that meets the challenges of climate change.

The rollout of the latest smart meters in the municipalities of Nézignan-l'Evêque and Saint-Pons-de-Mauchiens in 2026 will enable all users to benefit from remote meter reading. With a dedicated app, they will be able to track monthly consumption, detect potential leaks early, and better manage their bills. In Occitanie, SUEZ’s remote meter reading systems identified more than 33,500 suspected leaks in 2025, preventing water losses and additional costs for customers.

A sustainable model benefiting residents

With nearly €55 million of investments, a dedicated local governance structure bringing together SUEZ and Banque des Territoires, and a team of 44 employees, this new contract underscores a commitment to locally delivered services and long-term sustainable performance.

Across the drinking water distribution networks, SUEZ will implement tailored action plans for each municipality to sustainably reduce losses from leakage and unauthorised consumption. The programme combines advanced network oversight via SUEZ’s Aquadvanced platform for real-time performance monitoring; pressure optimisation in selected zones to limit losses when leaks occur; an ambitious renewal programme covering 21 km of pipes and 1,950 service connections; the deployment of 550 fixed acoustic sensors; annual leak-detection surveys across 240 km of network; and targeted camera inspections. Together, these measures will lift network efficiency above 91% by the end of the contract and save 3 million m³ of water.