Press Releases

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, through its American subsidiary United Water, is one of the country's leading water and wastewater treatment service providers and has today announced the signing of a 10-year DBO (Design, Build, Operate) contract covering collection and wastewater treatment facilities for the city of East Providence, meeting the needs of around two thirds of its 50,000 residents. United Water now has operational responsibility for the system, as well as ensuring the compliance of the infrastructures and treatment processes with the new standards which Rhode Island State has set for the Environment Management Department, for a total of 38 million euros. In addition, the contract for operating the facilities over 10 years represents 33 million euros.

SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT meets its 2009 objectives with solid results back to growth perspectives in 2010.

2009: solid results in line with objectives

• Revenue: €12.3 billion, +0.6% at constant forex
• EBITDA: €2,060m, –1.2% at constant forex, i.e. an EBITDA/revenue ratio of 16.8%
• Free cash flow: €891m, a 20% increase excluding non recurring items in 2009
• Net result group share: €403m i.e. €0.82 per share
• Net financial debt: €6,282m, i.e. net financial debt/EBITDA ratio of 3.0x
• Proposed stable dividend  of €0.65 per share

2010 objectives and outlook

• Confirmation of free cash flow generation and profitability protection priorities
• Launch of a new compass cost optimization plan for 2010-2012

Watch on live and on-demand playback webcast of the information meeting of Thursday 25 February at 8.30 am (Paris time).

Since the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12th, Aquassistance, the humanitarian association of workers of Lyonnaise des Eaux and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, has been working to facilitate access to water for the affected residents of Port-Au-Prince and its region. In a parallel effort, experts from SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT are helping the city's water and sanitary services departments re-establish the flow of water from the public network.
 

Wastewater treatment plants stop 85% of priority substances work still needs to be done on the other substances studied that are released into wastewater.

After more than four years' research at 21 typical wastewater treatment plants in France, the AMPERES research programme has delivered results on the identification of micropollutants and the effectiveness of treatments at existing plants and assesses the most promising treatment techniques.
 

At the Board meeting on 14 January 2010, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s Directors decided, upon GDF SUEZ’s proposal, to co-opt Patrick Ouart to replace Angel Simon, AGBAR’s Chief Executive Officer. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT’s Annual Shareholders Meeting, which will take place on May 20th, will be asked to ratify his appointment.

Patrick Ouart is a member of LVMH’s Executive Committee and an advisor to the LVMH group chairman.