But however this development appears to be limited

Distributors private water (Lyonnaise water - Suez Environment, General of the water - Veolia Environnement and SAUR) are lately accused having seen too much money for the maintenance of pipelines and have never or not quite spent the allocated amounts. This is the case in Lille where an association has set remains the urban community to recover EUR 140 million to the company of waters North owned 50-50 by Suez and Veolia. This operator would unduly received approximately EUR 164 million between 1986 and 1996, with only 24 million have been recovered by the community in 2001. The contracting party rejects these accusations and said that the renegotiated contract of water in 1998 provides a volume of work of 369 million until 2015 and that she has already mobilised EUR 180 million between 1997 and 2004. It still 200 million to invest in ten years, the contract providing for a refund of the amount of work not done during the term of the contract.

Duty of supervision

This week, the urban community of Lyon, assessed at EUR 94 million the amount collected by Veolia users for work and which have not been made, said that she wished that this sum is invested in the next five years in water systems. The use of this sum that represents 4-5 times the amount of annual investment in the network, will be "one of the major topics" of the renegotiation of the contract in 2007, said the Director of the water of Grand Lyon. Three years ago, Paris had obtained from Veolia and Suez 163 million euros of work to offset such an overvaluation of provisions for work. "There is no chronic underinvestment in the sector" of the renewal of water pipes, defending Tristan Mathieu, Delegate General of the association of water companies (EEDF), who pointed out that they are requesting the establishment of programmes of work by the communities. Since 2005, a Decree imposes on the delegated to publish each year a report financial and technical exploitation, which allows "communities to ensure their duty of supervision". "We surely a share of responsibility in the attacks that we are currently experiencing, but communities do not have related fists." "This are they that define the objectives, decide to work and we are accountable", stated yesterday in Marseille a spokesman for Suez at the first international meetings for the right of access to water bringing together French and foreign communities wanting to reappropriate the water service. Return to management by communities is obviously at the heart of the debates. But however, this development appears to be limited. 100 Implemented competition observed annually in France, 1 contract amounts in public governance. Some 700 annual competition (730 in 2006) are recorded each year. According to France liberties, co-convenor of the Marseilles protest, 50 communes returned to public management of water for six years and costs have decreased by 25 to 45 depending on the circumstances. In France, there are 29,000 of water and sanitation services, including 9,000 in public service delegation.