This is what is not seen “and the importance of which we only measure in a situation of service interruption”, says Jean-Paul Cozien, vice-president of QBO in charge of water and sanitation. . The territory of Quimper Western Brittany has 1,750 km of drinking water network and 750 km of wastewater networks. These pipes are its property and it has a duty to maintain them, as it has a duty to ensure the performance of the public water service. Alas, this equipment, which supplies 52,000 subscribers with water and 43,000 with sanitation, is around fifty years old and the observation of aging is clear. A renewal is made every year, but at a rate of only 0.3%.
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2 Is there really an emergency?
Even though the networks are aging, the damage is currently limited. Certainly, there have been breakages which have sounded like so many alarms in recent months, in Cuzon last July, or in Corniguel in February, but the community only shows 10% losses on a network which carries 6, 5 million m3 per year. “The average in France is more around 20%,” explains Jean-Paul Cozien. “We are even less than 6% in Quimper and Ergué-Gabéric. » Still, the importance of water is such that the president described the situation as urgent this Thursday. “Imagine the scale of the rupture of a pipe that passes under Kerogan Bay. The locals would not forgive us for not having committed anything. »
The other concern is national directives. “We are obliged to modernize, we have no choice,” continues the vice-president. “The Water Agency fee will evolve according to the performance of our networks from next year. » The State is also asking for more protection of the downstream Odet watershed.
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3 What work is necessary?
First there is the renewal of the networks. The agglomeration is working on a rate of change of 1% of drinking water pipes per year, and 1.35% for wastewater. Which would lead to a completely redone water network within… 100 years. And a sanitation network within 70 years. Annual cost: 15 million euros. The other major action would be to modernize, between 2025 and 2028, the discharge stations and collectors of the Corniguel wastewater treatment plant, which ensures the treatment of wastewater from the inhabitants of Ergué-Gabéric, Guengat, Plomelin, Pluguffan , Ploneis and Quimper, as well as industrial discharges (40% of its activity, which is not without consequences on the damage observed). Estimate: 56 million euros excluding tax. Without forgetting the strengthening of human resources.
Aerial view of the Corniguel wastewater treatment plant in Quimper. (Photo archives Le Télégramme) -
4 How to finance all this?
To redo everything, it would take 750 million euros. A chasm compared to QBO’s total budget which amounts to nearly 200 million euros. So the city has no choice but to take small steps to renew the networks. This will not be possible for Corniguel. Nearly 20 million euros are expected from the Water Agency for this work, and the community plans to borrow money. But it won’t be enough. Hence the implementation of new pricing per cubic meter of water, voted on this Thursday with eight votes against and one abstention. “Water pays for water,” breathes Jean-Paul Cozien. “It’s painful in the context we know, but it’s necessary,” insisted Quimper’s first deputy Gilbert Gramoullé.
Nearly 13 million additional euros are expected with the increase in prices. An increase deemed “brutal” by Guillaume Menguy (Quimper). “It’s a massive blow for the community and users. The catch-up is brutal. In a 2020 report, I found that work was recommended on certain discharge stations from 2011. This load should have been smoothed out every year. Evolution, yes, but it must be acceptable to the citizen. »
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5 What are the consequences on the invoice?
The increase in prices will result, for individuals, in an average increase of around 10% per year for the next four years. The annual water and sanitation subscription will increase from €30.69 today to €80 in 2028. The price of a m3 of water will reach €5.16 including tax in 2028, compared to €3.71 today. That is, for a household of four people, an increase of almost €165 in four years. “The price of water was low, we did not have a culture of the fair price of water, but we will remain one of the least expensive services if we compare on a regional scale” , says President Isabelle Assih. For vulnerable groups, a “water check” system in conjunction with the CIAS and the CCAS (intercommunal and municipal social action centers) has been announced. Another new feature is that monthly payments will be in effect in the region from the start of 2025 billing.
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6 And the big consumers?
If until now consumers of more than 6,000 m3 per year (44 companies are listed in the QBO territory, including three with more than 100,000 m3 in Briec and Quimper) benefited from a significant reduction, this will soon not be no longer the case. The community has set itself a deadline of eight years maximum to finalize the harmonization of their pricing. The objective being to enable them to absorb the financial impact in their income statements.
