La Créole

What La Créole does

La Créole is a public water and sanitation utility (régie communautaire) operating on La Réunion island under the governance of the Territoire de la Côte Ouest (TCO), where it functions as a regulated community régie since January 1, 2020. It produces and distributes drinking water and operates collective and non-collective sanitation services for the communes of Saint-Paul and Trois-Bassins, with non-collective sanitation (SPANC) inspection services extending to five communes of the Côte Ouest territory. The infrastructure footprint comprises 1,220+ km of drinking water network, 310+ km of sewer network, 64 storage reservoirs (49,900 m³ total capacity), 19 production sites (3 surface-water captures, 3 treatment units, 11 boreholes, 2 wells, 3 booster stations), 35 pumping stations, and two wastewater treatment plants (Ermitage 25,000 EH and Cambaie 60,000 EH). The company serves 55,057 water subscribers representing approximately 112,000 inhabitants and over 27,000 wastewater connections, operating under the 'l'eau paie l'eau' principle that requires budget equilibrium from service revenues without communal subsidies.

The business model is that of a regulated public utility: revenues come from subscription-based water tariffs (set commune-by-commune by the Board of Directors), collective sanitation fees, SPANC inspection services, one-time connection and branching fees, and works/investment services. Customers are acquired through territorial assignment rather than marketing, and are served through a physical customer office in Saint-Paul, a 24/7 emergency hotline, an online customer portal (eauenligne.lacreole.re), and a monthly direct-debit payment scheme (mensualisation). Tariffs are publicly disclosed as PDF documents, and the company operates within a multi-stakeholder governance structure — the 13-member Board of Directors is appointed by the TCO Community Council and includes consumer-association and personnel representatives.

Technically, La Créole runs a remote monitoring and control (télégestion) system with approximately 60 autonomous measurement points and 60 online water-quality analyzers (turbidity, chlorine, conductivity, pH), supported by acoustic leak-detection tools (Aquaphone, correlators, loggers) and a radio-telereading system for communal meters. A €75 million multi-year investment plan (with co-financing from FEDER, Office de l'Eau, Conseil Départemental, and Région Réunion) is in execution, alongside a long-range infrastructure need projected at €80M for water and €40M for sanitation through 2030. Sébastien Guyon serves as President; ownership rests with the TCO, and there is no venture or private-equity capital involvement.

Name

La Créole

Legal name

LA CREOLE CIE REUNIONNAISE DES EAUX

Website

https://lacreole.re

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

La Créole is a public water and sanitation régie communautaire serving the communes of Saint-Paul and Trois-Bassins on La Réunion island under the Territoire de la Côte Ouest. It supplies drinking water to 55,000+ subscribers (~112,000 inhabitants) and operates collective sanitation and SPANC inspection services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Paul

HQ country

Réunion

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Water Supply Services: Revenue from potable water production and distribution to residential, commercial, and agricultural subscribers. Tariffs are set by the Board of Directors and must balance expenses and receipts without communal subsidies, following the 'l'eau paie l'eau' (water pays for water) principle.
2. Collective Sanitation Services: Revenue from wastewater collection, transport, and treatment services for properties connected to the public sewer network.
3. Non-Collective Sanitation (SPANC) Services: Revenue from inspection and control services for individual wastewater treatment systems across five communes of the Côte Ouest territory (Saint-Paul, Trois Bassins, Saint-Leu, Le Port, La Possession).
4. Connection and Branching Fees: Revenue from new water connections, wastewater connections, and private operation controls including building inspections and water system commissioning.
5. Works and Investment Services: Revenue from public works for network extensions, renewals, rehabilitation, and new infrastructure projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

La Créole is a public community water and sanitation utility (régie communautaire) that produces and distributes drinking water, and provides collective wastewater collection and treatment, to the communes of Saint-Paul and Trois-Bassins on La Réunion Island. The company also delivers non-collective sanitation (SPANC) inspection and control services across five communes of the Côte Ouest territory. As a regulated public utility operating under the 'l'eau paie l'eau' principle, it serves approximately 55,057 water subscribers and manages 27,000+ wastewater connections through 1,220+ km of water pipelines and 310+ km of sewer networks.

Product overview

La Créole is a public water and sanitation utility (régie communautaire) serving the communes of Saint-Paul and Trois-Bassins on Reunion Island. The company operates a portfolio of integrated water and sanitation services organized into three core offerings: drinking water distribution (AEP), collective sanitation (wastewater collection and treatment), and non-collective sanitation control (SPANC). Alongside these core utility services, La Créole provides a suite of digital customer-facing services accessible through its online portal, including online bill payment, a monthly payment plan (Mensualisation), account subscription and termination, meter index submission, leak reporting, and non-potable water cistern distribution during crises. The company also manages new connection services, public procurement for infrastructure projects, and investment programs including network renewal and potabilization plant rehabilitation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drinking Water Distribution Service (AEP) La Créole manages the production and distribution of drinking water to approximately 55,000 subscribers across the communes of Saint-Paul and Trois-Bassins, serving a population of about 112,000 residents. The service includes water sourcing from surface and underground resources, potabilization treatment, storage in 64 reservoirs, and distribution via over 1,220 km of pipelines.
• Collective Sanitation (Wastewater Collection and Treatment) La Créole operates the collection, transport, and treatment of domestic wastewater for connected properties, managing approximately 310 km of sewer networks, 89 pumping stations, and two treatment plants (STEU Ermitage with 25,000 EH capacity and Cambaie Complex with 60,000 EH capacity), serving over 27,000 wastewater connections.
• Non-Collective Sanitation (SPANC) The Public Sanitation Service for Non-Collective Systems (SPANC) controls and inspects individual wastewater treatment installations for properties not connected to the public sewer network across five communes of the Côte Ouest Territory, including conception reviews, execution inspections, compliance diagnostics, and periodic control visits.
• Customer Online Portal (Espace Client) The web-based customer portal (eauenligne.lacreole.re) enables subscribers to pay bills online, view contracts, monitor consumption, submit meter readings, subscribe to monthly payment plans, and manage account details via secure login.
• Monthly Payment Plan (Mensualisation) A subscription-based monthly or quarterly direct debit service that spreads water bill payments across the year, providing budget predictability and eliminating large periodic bills for subscribers.
• New Water Connection Services La Créole processes new water connection requests for residential, commercial, agricultural, and construction site applications, including site assessment, connection work, and water meter installation for both drinking water and wastewater.
• Account Subscription and Termination Service for opening and closing water accounts when customers move in or out of a property, including identity verification, meter reading submission, and final bill processing.
• Leak Reporting and Adjustment Service Service for reporting water leaks on public roads and processing billing adjustments under the 'Warsmann Law' decree for abnormal consumption due to concealed leaks, including plumber attestation requirements.
• Non-Potable Water Cistern Deployment During major crises (cyclones, water shortages), La Créole temporarily deploys non-potable water cisterns for residents in affected areas, available at designated locations for domestic non-food uses such as irrigation and sanitation.
• Public Procurement Services (Marchés Publics) La Créole publishes public procurement opportunities and contract award notices for construction, infrastructure, and service contracts related to water and sanitation network development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves 55,057 water service users representing approximately 112,000 inhabitants
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• VERDI RéunionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering consultancy contracted for design and oversight of water infrastructure projects. Currently serving as project management for extension work on the Hibon/Marocain water supply network.
• Territoire de la Côte Ouest (TCO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe intercommunal authority (TCO) owns and governs La Créole as a community régie since January 1, 2020. The Board of Directors is composed of 5 TCO Community Council representatives who set strategic orientations, tariffs, and budgets.
• BETCRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConstruction company contracted for network installation work on the Chemin Hibon/Marocain water supply extension project at Trois Bassins.
• HYDROTECHminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCompany contracted for construction of water tank and pressure boosting station on the Chemin Hibon/Marocain water supply extension project.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-cr%C3%A9ole

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 La Créole