Greater Lyon has awarded Veolia a significant contract to modernize and manage the Saint Fons wastewater treatment plant, one of the largest in France. The six-year contract, valued at €100 million, aims to establish the plant as a benchmark for environmental standards.
Operational for nearly fifty years, the Saint Fons plant treats wastewater from the left bank of the Rhône river, serving about one million residents and several industrial groups. Veolia's mandate includes ensuring compliance with biological treatment standards, upgrading the plant's infrastructure, and improving the management of heavy rainfall to prevent pollution. This initiative is a collaborative effort with local authorities, aimed at enhancing the site's operational efficiency, energy use, and environmental performance.
Veolia plans to leverage its expertise to deliver an integrated solution that offers the best value for money:
- Digitized Management: The implementation of more efficient digital systems is expected to reduce the plant's electricity consumption by 15% and its water usage by 10%.
- Carbon Footprint Reduction: The plant’s carbon footprint will be significantly minimized, with 90% of its energy needs met through decarbonized energy sources from Veolia’s energy recovery facilities. Waste heat from incinerators will generate 6% of the site’s electricity, replacing fossil fuels.
- Technical Innovations: Veolia will utilize its technological capabilities to address emerging pollutants such as PFAS, especially in sewage sludge, in anticipation of future regulatory changes.
- Soil Return Strategy: Veolia will support Greater Lyon in its soil return strategy, including future sludge treatment via methanization at a nearby treatment plant.
Jean-François Nogrette, Senior Executive Vice President, France & Special Waste Europe, said: "With our long-time presence in the region, we are proud to have been chosen by the Lyon metropolitan area to make Saint Fons wastewater treatment plant a true environmental leader. Thanks to more efficient management and the combination of our various businesses, we were able to offer a solution with the best value for money that combines the ecological and economic performances of the site by significantly reducing its carbon footprint and its consumption of raw materials. The ecological transformation of Saint Fons demonstrates our ability to provide concrete solutions to build a sustainable future for and with local regions, perfectly in line with our GreenUp strategic plan".
