Aquiris, the Franco-Belgian consortium led by Vivendi Water, has received official notification from the Brussels-Capital regional authority that it has been awarded the contract to build the Brussels-North wastewater treatment plant and operate it for 20 years.
Henri Proglio, chairman of the Vivendi Environnement Management Board, stated: "We have every confidence in the project submitted by Aquiris. It is very competitive financially, and highly innovative in technical terms. The treatment process will be based on a number of tried-and-tested technologies developed by Vivendi Water. The Brussels-North project will be a major showcase for wastewater treatment technologies in Europe, and even around the world."
20-year contract worth 1 billion euros
Under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) contract, Aquiris will design, build and finance the treatment plant and connecting collection system. It will then operate the facilities for 20 years.
The plant, located in the Neder-Over-Heembeek district, will be one of Europe's largest, with the capacity to treat wastewater for 1.1 million inhabitants.
The amount of the capital investment by Aquiris will be around 290 million euros (11.7 billion Belgian francs). The Brussels-Capital region will pay an annual amount of 49.58 million euros (2 billion Belgian francs) for 20 years.
The plant is scheduled for commissioning during the first half of 2006. An initial 22-month period will be for studies and obtaining the necessary permits. The second period lasting 36 months will be for construction.
Aquiris is to build a compact plant using the latest technologies. Three hectares of land will be set aside for future applications. The Brussels-Capital region will be made totally autonomous in terms of managing sludge, which will be treated on site by the wet sludge oxidation process.
Vivendi Water, a subsidiary of Vivendi Environnement, is the leading global provider of water and wastewater services for municipal authorities, industrial companies and consumers. The company provides the entire range of outsourcing and design-build services, as well as equipment and systems.
With operations in more than 100 countries, Vivendi Water serves over 110 million consumers and 40,000 industrial customers worldwide. It has revenues of 12.9 billion euros for 2000 and 69,000 employees.
Disclaimer
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on management's current expectations or beliefs and are subject to a number of factors and uncertainties, such as the inability to further identify, develop and achieve success for new services and technologies or the failure to obtain or retain upon acceptable terms the licenses and permits necessary to operate the business, that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Vivendi Universal and Vivendi Environnement do not undertake, nor have any obligation, to provide updates or to revise any forward-looking statements. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of documents filed by Vivendi Universal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov or directly from Vivendi Universal.
Press contacts
Vivendi Water
Anne Froger
Tel : 33 1 49 24 31 18
Fax : 33 1 49 24 32 71
e-mail : anne.froger@generale-des-eaux.net
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Caroline Simon
Tel : 33 1 53 70 74 65
Fax : 33 1 53 70 74 80
e-mail : csimon@image7.fr
VIVENDI ENVIRONNEMENT
Société Anonyme à Directoire et Conseil de Surveillance
Au capital de 4.673.361.892,50 €
Siège social : 36/38, avenue Kléber - 75016 Paris
403 210 032 RCS PARIS
VIVENDI WATER
Société anonyme au capital de 3.816.194.986 €
Siège social : 52, rue d'Anjou - 75008 Paris
421 345 042 R.C.S. Paris
History of wastewater of the city of Brussels :
Urban Waste Water: Commission decides Court application against Belgium (22 April 1999) - European Commission DG XI
Commission report on urban waste water treatment shows significant progress in most of Europe (21 January 1999) - European Commission DG XI
