SDEA

What SDEA does

SDEA (Syndicat des Eaux et de l'Assainissement Alsace-Moselle) is a French public-sector water and sanitation syndicate headquartered in Schiltigheim near Strasbourg, founded in 1948. It provides full water-cycle management services — the "small cycle" (drinking water production and distribution) and the "large cycle" (wastewater collection and treatment) — to more than 700 communes across the Bas Rhin, Haut Rhin, and Moselle departments in the Grand Est region. The organization operates as a hybrid public entity governed by elected officials from member municipalities, combining a public service mandate with corporate-style operational efficiency.

Operationally, SDEA runs an extensive infrastructure footprint: 290+ springs and 120+ wells feed 115 water treatment plants, 190+ pumping stations, and 215+ reservoirs that distribute through nearly 4,200 km of drinking water networks, producing 30.5 million m³ of water annually. On the wastewater side, it manages nearly 6,160 km of sewer networks, 700+ pumping stations, 100+ treatment stations, and 650+ pollution control basins. Beyond core utility services, SDEA runs flood-prevention programs (P.A.P.I.), local water management schemes (SAGE), aquatic-environment preservation (Missions Eau, Trame Verte et Bleue), and educational outreach, supported by an online customer portal (Espace Client), regional service centers, and a 24/7 emergency-intervention capability.

SDEA's business model is built on usage-based water and sanitation tariffs charged to residential, agricultural, industrial, and professional users, supplemented by public procurement contracts with municipalities (delegated service management or régie arrangements) and statutory collection of Agence de l'eau Rhin-Meuse levies. It operates on a non-profit basis: tariffs cover actual service costs and surpluses are reinvested into network maintenance and improvement rather than distributed. With 101–250 employees, it leverages scale economics across its territorial mandate to deliver services that individual municipalities could not sustain independently.

Name

SDEA

Legal name

Syndicat des Eaux et de l'Assainissement Alsace-Moselle

Website

https://sdea.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Water and Sanitation Utility Services

NAICS

Water, Sewage and Other Systems (2213), Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (924110), Sewage Treatment Facilities (221320)

SIC

Water Supply (4941), Electric, Gas & Sanitary Services (4900), Sanitary Services (4950), Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Supply & Wastewater Utilities Administration (BPAIACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Water Quality Monitoring, Compliance & Reporting (Sampling, Lab, Regulatory) (EUANAAAG), Monitoring & Control (Dosing Systems, Remote Monitoring, Sensors) (BPABAJAK)

Keywords

• Public water utility
• Wastewater treatment services
• Drinking water distribution
• Sanitation infrastructure management
• Municipal water services

Headquarters

HQ city

Schiltigheim

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Fees: Water distribution fees charged to domestic, agricultural, industrial, and professional users based on consumption. Revenue collected through monthly/quarterly billing.
2. Sanitation/Wastewater Fees: Wastewater collection and treatment fees charged to users. Revenue used to maintain and upgrade 6,160 km of wastewater networks and 100+ treatment stations.
3. Public Procurement Contracts: Services provided to municipalities under public service delegation or régie arrangements through public markets (marchés publics) published on Alsace Marchés Publics platform.
4. Water Agency Levies Collection: SDEA collects statutory levies on behalf of the Agence de l'eau Rhin-Meuse from water users, which are then remitted to the agency for environmental preservation projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SDEA operates the public water and sanitation service for over 700 communes in the Alsace-Moselle region of France. Its core offerings are the production and distribution of drinking water through 4,200 km of networks, 115 treatment plants, and 215+ reservoirs, plus the collection and treatment of wastewater through 6,160 km of sewer networks and 100+ treatment stations. The syndicate also provides meter reading, billing, emergency interventions, sanitation diagnostics, and water quality reporting to residential, agricultural, industrial, and municipal customers.

Product overview

SDEA (Syndicat des Eaux et de l'Assainissement Alsace-Moselle) is a public water and sanitation utility providing comprehensive water cycle management services across Alsace-Moselle region in over 700 municipalities. The organization operates two interconnected core services: drinking water distribution (supplying 30.5 million m³ annually through 4,200 km of networks, 215+ reservoirs, 290 sources, 190 pumping stations, and 115 treatment plants) and wastewater management (operating 6,160 km of sewer networks, 700 pumping stations, and 100+ treatment plants). Customers access these services through the online Espace Client SDEA portal for account management, bill payment, and consumption tracking. Additional services include emergency interventions, sanitation diagnostics, meter reading, and water quality information. SDEA is governed by elected officials from member municipalities and operates under public service mandates rather than profit-driven objectives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Water Distribution Service (Distribution d'eau potable) Production and distribution of drinking water to residential, agricultural, industrial, and professional users through 4,200 km of water networks, 290+ springs, 120+ wells, 115 treatment plants, 190+ pumping stations, and 215+ reservoirs serving municipalities across Bas Rhin, Haut Rhin, and Moselle.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30,500,000 m³ annual water production
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2026Denis RIEDINGER, Premier Vice-Président du SDEA and Mélanie VILLIERS, Directrice régionale Grand Est de la Banque des Territoires (Caisse des Dépôts), signed a framework partnership convention on March 26, 2026, in presence of Jean-René CAZENEUVE, President of the Commission de Surveillance of the Caisse des Dépôts. The convention strengthens cooperation between the two public institutions for territorial development projects.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Eau (Veolia Environnement): Veolia is the largest private water and wastewater operator in France and globally, operating municipal and industrial delegated contracts that directly compete with SDEA in tender processes. Comparable in core offering (water production, distribution, wastewater treatment) and customer base (municipalities and industrial users), but with national/international scale and a private-operator business model.
• Suez Eau France: Suez is the second major private French water utility, operating delegated water and wastewater contracts nationwide with services directly overlapping SDEA's portfolio (production, distribution, treatment, customer management). Comparable on service scope and municipal customer base, but with broader geographic and segment coverage.

Direct peers

• Saur: Saur is a private French water and wastewater operator serving municipalities and industrial clients across France, often competing against SDEA in delegated service tenders. Closely comparable on service mix (drinking water, wastewater, customer management) and on contracting model (public service delegation), though smaller in geographic reach.
• Eau de Paris: Eau de Paris is the municipal water utility serving Paris and surrounding communes, operating production, treatment, and distribution of drinking water under a public operator model. Functionally analogous to SDEA as a public, non-profit water authority managing multi-source production and large distribution networks for residential and professional customers.
• SEDIF (Syndicat des Eaux d'Île-de-France): SEDIF is one of France's largest public water syndicates, supplying drinking water to ~4 million residents across 135 communes in the Île-de-France region. Highly comparable in governance (elected official syndicate model), service scope (production, treatment, distribution), and recurring-tariff revenue model, though geographically distinct.
• Eau du Grand Lyon: Eau du Grand Lyon is the metropolitan water authority for Greater Lyon, managing drinking water production, distribution, and wastewater treatment for ~580,000 subscribers. Comparable as a public operator serving a multi-commune urban region with similar infrastructure (treatment plants, networks, reservoirs) and delegated services.
• Eau de Marseille (SEM): Eau de Marseille is the public water utility serving Marseille and surrounding communes, operating production (source fields), treatment, and distribution infrastructure. Comparable as a long-established public operator with a similar service offering and multi-commune customer base, though concentrated in a single urban area.
• Nantes Métropole - Eau et Assainissement: Nantes Métropole operates the public water and wastewater service for the Nantes metropolitan area under a régie publique model, with services analogous to SDEA's (production, distribution, treatment, customer management) for residential and business users across multiple communes.

Emerging players

• Régie des Eaux de Grenoble (RIV3): Régie des Eaux de Grenoble is a recently established public water operator serving Grenoble-Alpes-Métropole under direct public management. Comparable to SDEA as a régie publique model operator, though smaller in scale and recently transitioned from a private delegated contract.

Regional players

• Syndicat Mixte des Eaux de la Goutte d'Or (SMEO): SMEO and other small/medium French water syndicates operate under the same delegated public service model as SDEA, serving multi-commune territories with comparable production, distribution, and wastewater services. Relevant as a peer on governance and operating model, though smaller in infrastructure footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/SDEABasRhin67
• Facebookfacebook.com/SDEAAlsaceMoselle
• Xx.com/SDEAAlsaceMose

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SDEA