Aqualter

What Aqualter does

Aqualter is a France-headquartered independent water management company operating across the full domestic water cycle: drinking water production and distribution, wastewater collection and treatment, and design-build of treatment infrastructure. Formed in 2010 through a partnership between Caisse des dépôts and CITEE, the group consolidated its operating subsidiaries ALTEAU (DSP operations, founded 1992) and TERNOIS (construction, founded 1970) into a single entity in early 2020. The company serves approximately 200 communes and 150,000 subscriber households, with 11 regional agencies providing local presence across metropolitan France and international operations through subsidiary OCEA in French Polynesia.

The company operates a vertically integrated business model combining long-term Delegation of Public Service (DSP) contracts, SEMOp (Société d'Economie Mixte à Opération unique) joint ventures with municipalities, and design-build construction services. Proprietary technology includes the patented TERSOLAIR solar sludge drying system (>80% dryness) and TERSOLYGE sludge hygienization system, alongside software products i-Aqua (subscriber and billing management across 855 communes), WALTER (network yield and leak detection), and DOCTER (sanitation network assessment). Customer base is anchored on French municipalities with the 2025 Chartres Métropole SEMOp representing a €570M, 15-year commitment, supplemented by industrial wastewater projects for food processors (McCain, Lactalis, Danone, United Biscuits).

Revenue is generated primarily through managed-service contracts with municipalities (10-15 year DSP/SEMOp terms), one-time construction project fees for treatment plant builds, and software licensing through subsidiary AQUA CONSULTING. The €80M annual revenue figure places Aqualter in the mid-tier of the French water sector, positioning it as an independent challenger to majors Veolia and Suez, with the Caisse des dépôts holding a 52% ownership stake providing long-duration capital and CITEE (President Loïc Darcel) holding 48%.

Name

Aqualter

Legal name

Aqualter

Website

https://aqualter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Aqualter is an independent French water management company operating drinking water production, wastewater treatment, and treatment plant construction under long-term public service contracts (DSP/SEMOp) with municipalities, serving ~200 communes and 150,000 subscribers with 11 regional agencies and OCEA subsidiary in French Polynesia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water and Wastewater Utility Services

NAICS

Water Supply and Irrigation Systems (22131), Sewage Treatment Facilities (22132)

SIC

Water Supply (4941)

akta.pro primary industry

Advanced Treatment & Purification Utilities (MF/UF, RO, AOP, UV) (EUANAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water Reclamation & Reuse Production (Tertiary/Advanced Treatment) (EUANADAD)

Keywords

• Water treatment services
• Wastewater management
• Municipal water utilities
• Drinking water distribution
• Public service delegation

Headquarters

HQ city

Chartres

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Delegation of Public Service Contracts: Long-term contracts (typically 10-15 years) with municipalities for water production, distribution, and sewage treatment services. The 2025 Chartres Métropole contract represents 570 million euros over 15 years.
2. Construction of Water Treatment Facilities: Design and build services for drinking water plants and wastewater treatment stations. References include facilities up to 360,000 population equivalent.
3. Software Licensing (i-Aqua): Software licensing and services through subsidiary Aqua Consulting for water utility management. Software becomes property of client at contract end.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Aqualter is an independent French water utility company operating across two divisions: Exploitation (operating and maintaining drinking water production/distribution networks and wastewater treatment systems under long-term public service delegation contracts) and Construction (designing and building drinking water plants, urban and industrial wastewater treatment stations, and patented sludge treatment systems). It serves French municipalities and industrial clients through direct contracts, SEMOp joint ventures, and proprietary technologies such as TERSOLAIR and TERSOLYGE for sludge drying and hygienization.

Product overview

Aqualter is an independent French water management company offering integrated services through two core divisions: Exploitation (operation and maintenance of water distribution and wastewater systems) and Construction (design and build of water treatment infrastructure). The company's proprietary software portfolio includes i-Aqua for subscriber and billing management, WALTER for water network yield optimization and leak localization, and DOCTER for sanitation network assessment. Patented treatment technologies include TERSOLAIR (solar sludge drying achieving >80% dryness) and TERSOLYGE (sludge hygienization for fertilizer production). Customer-facing digital services comprise the Espace Abonnés online portal, e-facture electronic billing, and télérelève remote meter reading. The company operates internationally through its OCEA subsidiary in French Polynesia and maintains 11 regional agencies across France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• i-Aqua: Software suite dedicated to technical and administrative management of water and sanitation subscribers.
• Walter
• DOCTER
• TERSOLAIR
• TERSOLYGE

Products and services

• Exploitation Services Long-term operation and maintenance services for drinking water production and distribution networks, and wastewater collection and treatment, including 24/7 customer service, network maintenance, regulatory compliance, and subscriber relations for municipalities and local governments.
• Construction Services Design and construction of drinking water treatment plants and wastewater treatment stations, including urban and industrial wastewater treatment, micropollutant treatment, and biological disc systems, for municipalities and industrial clients.
• i-Aqua Software Suite Comprehensive software suite for technical and administrative management of water and sanitation subscribers, covering equipment inventory, subscriber relations, billing, and work order management; generates over 1 million invoices across 855 communes.
• WALTER Network Yield Software Software application that measures drinking water network yield performance and localizes leaks with greater precision to help municipalities optimize infrastructure investments and reduce water losses.
• DOCTER Sanitation Software Software application that measures the intensity of parasitic water infiltration in sanitation networks, enabling better network assessment and maintenance planning.
• TERSOLAIR Solar Sludge Drying System Proprietary patented solar sludge drying system combining direct solar energy with heated floor and heat pump technology, achieving dryness rates above 80% while preserving agronomic quality and reducing transport volume by three-quarters.
• TERSOLYGE Sludge Hygienization System Proprietary patented sludge hygienization system that completes TERSOLAIR installations by transforming dried sludge into commercially marketable fertilizer through 95°C treatment for 6 hours, eliminating viruses and bacteria.
• Micropollutant Treatment (Ozonation) Treatment technology using ozonation and filtration to achieve 80% elimination rates on numerous micropollutant molecules at lower cost than activated carbon methods and with no pollution transfer.
• Biological Disc Treatment (Biodisques) Biological disc treatment technology for wastewater treatment particularly adapted to high load variations, featuring low energy consumption, simplified operation, and minimal nuisance.
• OCEA French Polynesia Operations Water and sanitation operations in French Polynesia through the wholly-owned OCEA subsidiary, including operation of the Papeete wastewater treatment plant.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90.7% customer satisfaction score from call quality monitoring system
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Chartres Métropole - C'Chartres EaucoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2025Historic SEMOp partnership renewed in 2025 for 15 years. Aqualter holds 60% and Chartres Métropole holds 40% of C'Chartres Eau capital. Contract value of 570 million euros covers water and sanitation for 66 communes, 48,000 subscribers.
• Association des Maires d'Eure-et-Loir (AMF28)strategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 November 2025Aqualter became official partner of the Association of Mayors of Eure-et-Loir, the leading municipal association in the department where Aqualter has operated for 55 years.
• SynteaustrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2025Aqualter joined Synteau, the national union of water treatment companies, an industry association bringing together water sector companies for collective advocacy and best practice sharing.
• C'CMHB (Handball Club)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsorship of Chartres Métropole handball team since 2017. Joint community engagement activities including 'Au fil de l'eau' video series for water awareness.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Saur: Mid-sized French water and wastewater services operator serving municipalities and industrial clients via DSP/SEMOp contracts. Most direct comparable to Aqualter in terms of scale, French market focus, and delegation-based business model.

Broad incumbents

• Suez Eau France: Major French water utility operator following Veolia/Suez asset divestments. Direct competitor for municipal water and wastewater contracts with broad geographic coverage across France.
• Veolia Eau France: Largest French water utility operator and global water services major. Competes with Aqualter on large municipal tenders but operates at substantially greater scale across all water and waste services segments.

Regional players

• SEABB (Société des Eaux de l'Ain et de la Bresse Bugey): Regional water operator serving communes in the Ain department — overlapping geographic territory with several of Aqualter's agency locations. Comparable municipal contract profile at local scale.
• Sogedo: Regional water management operator based in southeastern France serving municipalities through public service delegations. Comparable operating model and customer base to Aqualter at smaller regional scale.
• Sources d'Équilibre: Regional water services operator in central France providing drinking water and wastewater treatment for municipal clients. Similar integrated water management profile to Aqualter's regional operations.
• Nantaise des Eaux Services: Regional water and wastewater operator serving western France. Comparable mid-tier French water services business with municipal contract focus, though smaller scale than Aqualter.
• Saint-Dizier Environnement: Smaller-scale municipal water and wastewater operator serving communes in eastern France. Comparable business model at sub-Aqualter scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aqualter

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Aqualter