smbvas

What smbvas does

SMBVAS (Syndicat Mixte du Bassin Versant de l'Austreberthe et du Saffimbec) is a French public administrative body (syndicat mixte) established in 1999, headquartered in Villers-Écalles, Seine-Maritime, Normandy. The organization is the mandated authority for water resource management, flood prevention, and aquatic environment stewardship across 31 communes in the Austreberthe and Saffimbec watersheds, including 5 intercommunalités (Communauté de Communes Caux Austreberthe, Métropole Rouen Normandie, Inter Caux Vexin, Plateau de Caux-Doudeville-Yerville, Yvetot Normandie). Following its 2022 fusion with SIRAS, SMBVAS manages over 50 hydraulic retention structures and 11 flood prevention dikes, and serves as host of the SAGE des 6 Vallées secretariat (a multi-valley water management scheme covering Ambion, Sainte-Gertrude, Rancon, Fontenelle, Austreberthe, and Saffimbec).

The organization's core technology centers on nature-based solutions (hydraulique douce) — hedgerows (16,450 trees planted on 8,225 meters in 2025), ponds (mare rehabilitation campaigns in 2024 and 2025), swales (noues), fascines, and grassed buffer strips — combined with gray-infrastructure hydraulic works. Operational products include the PAPI Rouen-Louviers-Austreberthe flood prevention program (2024-2030, 66 actions), the PAHD soft-hydraulic development program, building vulnerability diagnostics (up to 100% subsidized), pond rehabilitation services, and the CERT (Centre Eau Risque et Territoire) educational center featuring the permanent 'Vivre avec le risque' exhibition and the 2026-launched 'La Balade d'Aléa la Grenouille' pedagogical trail. The CERT sub-brand and its field team 'Brigade Bleue' extend the organization into public risk-culture development.

SMBVAS is funded through two primary streams: the recurring GEMAPI tax (Taxe pour la Gestion des Milieux Aquatiques et la Prévention des Inondations) levied on territorial stakeholders, and managed-service grants from Agence de l'Eau Seine-Normandie, the European Union (including FEADER through the Trame verte et bleue program), the French State (via PAPI and Fonds Barnier), Département de Seine-Maritime, and Région Normandie. As a public entity, SMBVAS does not charge citizens directly for most services; some interventions are subsidized up to 100% (with a €2,500 TTC per-project ceiling on tree-planting financing). The organization is governed by elected officials, with Jean-François CHEMIN serving as President following the May 12, 2026 bureau elections, and operates with a 12-person team currently expanding by 3 additional staff.

Name

smbvas

Legal name

SMBVAS – Syndicat Mixte du Bassin Versant de l'Austreberthe et du Saffimbec

Website

https://smbvas.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMBVAS is a French public administrative body managing water resources, flood prevention, and aquatic environment stewardship across 31 communes in the Austreberthe and Saffimbec watersheds in Normandy, operating hydraulic infrastructure, nature-based solutions programs, and the CERT educational center.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Watershed Management Services

NAICS

Administration of Air and Water Resource and Solid Waste Management Programs (92411), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Resources & Watershed Protection (BPAGAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Water & Wastewater Compliance (NPDES/Stormwater, Pretreatment, Drinking Water/SDWA) (EUAHABAB)

Keywords

• Watershed management services
• Flood prevention infrastructure
• Hydraulic engineering services
• Aquatic environment management
• River basin governance

Headquarters

HQ city

Villers-Ecalles

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. GEMAPI Tax (Taxe GEMAPI): Public water management and flood prevention tax collected from territorial stakeholders to fund aquatic environment management activities and watercourse maintenance
2. Government Subsidies and Grants: Funding from Agence de l'Eau Seine-Normandie, European Union (including FEADER through Trame verte et bleue program), French State through PAPI and Fonds Barnier, Department of Seine-Maritime, and Region Normandie for specific projects

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SMBVAS is a French public administrative syndicate (syndicat mixte) that performs integrated watershed management across the Austreberthe and Saffimbec river basins in Normandy. Its core activities are the operation and maintenance of hydraulic structures, the design and delivery of nature-based flood-prevention works, ecological restoration of aquatic environments, regulatory policing of water law (police de l'eau), and risk-awareness education delivered through its CERT (Centre Eau Risque et Territoire) facility. The organization holds statutory authority under the GEMAPI competence and the SAGE des 6 Vallées framework, serving 31 communes with approximately 12 staff.

Product overview

SMBVAS (Syndicat Mixte du Bassin Versant Austreberthe & Saffimbec) is a public administrative syndicate managing water resources and flood prevention across 31 communes. Rather than a software product, it delivers services through physical infrastructure (hydraulic structures), advisory programs (PAPI, PAHD), educational facilities (CERT center, La Balade d'Aléa pedagogical trail), and field interventions (hedge planting, pond rehabilitation, building diagnostics). The core offering combines flood risk management, aquatic environment preservation, agricultural advisory, and risk culture development through nature-based solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CERT (Centre Eau Risque et Territoire): Educational and pedagogical space created by SMBVAS to raise awareness about water management, flood risk, and environmental topics. Located in Villers-Ecalles with a public park and permanent exhibition.
• La Balade d'Aléa la Grenouille
• Brigade Bleue

Products and services

• CERT — Centre Eau Risque et Territoire (Water, Risk and Territory Center) An educational and operational facility in Villers-Écalles dedicated to raising flood-risk awareness, hosting interactive models, the "Vivre avec le risque" permanent exhibition, and providing building flood-vulnerability diagnostics for property owners. Targeted at schools, property owners, and the general public within the watershed.
• La Balade d'Aléa la Grenouille (Pedagogical trail) An outdoor educational trail designed to teach visitors about flood risk and watershed dynamics through interactive stops and interpretive signage. Targeted at families, school groups, and the general public.
• Diagnostics de vulnérabilité du bâti (Building flood-vulnerability diagnostics) Personalized assessments of residential and commercial buildings exposed to flood risk, identifying vulnerabilities and recommending mitigation measures. Offered free or subsidized to property owners within the watershed.
• Exposition "Vivre avec le risque" (Permanent exhibition "Living with risk") A permanent exhibition hosted at the CERT facility presenting flood phenomena, prevention measures, and the role of watershed management. Targeted at the general public, school groups, and visitors.
• Gestion des ouvrages hydrauliques (Hydraulic structure management) Operation, maintenance, and regulatory oversight of 50+ hydraulic structures (ouvrages hydrauliques) across the Austreberthe and Saffimbec watersheds, including floodgates, weirs, retention basins, and associated infrastructure. Targeted at member communes and intercommunalités.
• PAPI Rouen-Louviers-Austreberthe (Flood Prevention Action Programme) A multi-year flood-prevention programme co-led by SMBVAS covering the Rouen-Louviers-Austreberthe territory, delivering structural works, nature-based solutions, and awareness actions to reduce flood risk. Targeted at member local authorities and the populations of the program area.
• PAHD — Plan d'Aménagement d'Hydraulique Douce (Soft hydraulic development plan) A strategic planning framework defining the deployment of nature-based hydraulic solutions (hedge planting, grassed strips, swales, ponds, buffer zones) across the watershed to slow runoff and reduce flooding. Targeted at member communes, farmers, and landowners.
• Plantations de haies (Hedge planting programmes) Nature-based solution programmes that design, fund, and install hedgerows on agricultural and riparian land to slow runoff, reduce soil erosion, and enhance biodiversity. Targeted at farmers, agricultural operators, and landowners within the watershed.
• Réhabilitation des mares (Pond rehabilitation services) Ecosystem-restoration services that restore ponds (mares) within the watershed to enhance water retention, biodiversity, and water quality. Targeted at landowners, farmers, and member communes.
• Police de l'eau (Water-law regulatory policing) Statutory regulatory function under which SMBVAS monitors compliance with water legislation, advises applicants, and issues opinions on water-related works and installations within its jurisdiction. Targeted at project developers, landowners, and public authorities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 16,450 trees planted on 8,225 meters of hedgerows in 2025 season
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• SIRAS (Syndicat Intercommunal des Rivières Austreberthe et Saffimbec)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Merged with SMBVAS in January 2022, bringing management of 11 flood prevention dikes and expanded river management responsibilities to the organization
• SAGE des 6 ValléescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013SMBVAS hosts the SAGE (Schéma d'Aménagement et de Gestion des Eaux) secretariat for the six valleys watershed (Ambion, Sainte-Gertrude, Rançon, Fontenelle, Austreberthe, Saffimbec). SAGE manages water resources and aquatic environments across the territory.
• Ferrero (Day for Good program)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate volunteering partnership through Ferrero's annual Day for Good. Teams of Ferrero employees conduct nature conservation work at CERT including deflector structures, small beaches, and hibernacula construction.
• Unis-Cité (Service Civique)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual partnership hosting Service Civique volunteers for nature conservation projects including wetland management and vegetation clearing along rivers.
• E'caux NaturestrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal contractor engaged for hedgerow planting and pond rehabilitation works on the SMBVAS territory, implementing nature-based solutions with technical expertise.
• Communauté de Communes Caux-AustreberthestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey intercommunal partner for territorial water management, co-financing pond rehabilitation and participating in joint events like the Fête de la Nature.
• Métropole Rouen NormandiecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead coordinator of PAPI RLA (Programme d'Actions de Prévention des Inondations Rouen-Louviers-Austreberthe) with 66 actions across 6 implementing authorities.
• Fédération de Pêche 76minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDepartmental fishing federation conducting electrofishing operations for fish population studies and rescue operations before construction works.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EPTB Loire: Public body coordinating water management and flood prevention across the Loire watershed. Shares SMBVAS's combined mission of flood prevention, water quality, and ecological continuity for a major French river system under EPTB governance.
• EPTB Adour: Public watershed authority managing water resources and flood prevention across the Adour basin in southwestern France. Shares SMBVAS's EPTB-style governance and water management mandate.
• EPTB Charente: Public watershed authority coordinating flood prevention and water management across the Charente river basin. Comparable governance model and operational mission to SMBVAS across another major French river system.
• EPTB Seine Grands Lacs: Major French Établissement Public Territorial de Bassin managing flood prevention and water resources across the Seine upstream watershed through reservoir infrastructure. Comparable to SMBVAS as a watershed authority with flood prevention and water management missions, though operating at a much larger scale.
• EPIDOR (EPTB Dordogne): French EPTB managing the Dordogne watershed with combined flood prevention, water management, and ecological continuity missions. Comparable statutory framework and operational scope to SMBVAS.
• SmageAa: Syndicat Mixte pour l'Aménagement et la Gestion Eaux de l'Aa, a French syndicat mixte managing the Aa watershed. Shares SMBVAS's exact legal structure (syndicat mixte) and small-to-medium watershed management mission.
• Entente Oise-Aisne: Public watershed management body coordinating flood prevention and water management across the Oise-Aisne river system. Comparable to SMBVAS in operating model, public governance structure, and mission scope.
• Syndicat Mixte d'Aménagement de la Vallée de la Durance (SMAVD): French syndicat mixte managing the Durance valley with flood prevention, water management, and ecological missions. Exact same legal structure (syndicat mixte) and operating model as SMBVAS, making it a direct structural peer.

Broad incumbents

• Agence de l'Eau Seine-Normandie: French water agency covering the Seine-Normandie basin that funds SMBVAS's PAHD, pond rehabilitation, and hedgerow planting programs. Operates at a broader regulatory and funding level across the entire hydrographic basin, serving as both funder and governing authority.
• Office Français de la Biodiversité (OFB): National French public body overseeing biodiversity protection, water management, and policing of environmental regulations. Operates at a much broader national level but shares SMBVAS's ecological and water management mission across France.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SMBVAS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smbvas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 smbvas