Épinal Agglomeration Community Becomes First Contract for SUEZ and Avineon Tensing’s Water Network Mapping Partnership

Épinal Agglomeration Community Becomes First Contract for SUEZ and Avineon Tensing’s Water Network Mapping Partnership

(IN BRIEF) SUEZ and Avineon Tensing have partnered to offer French local authorities a digital georeferencing solution for drinking water and wastewater networks, helping them comply with new regulations requiring centimetre-level Class A mapping accuracy from 1 January 2026. The solution combines Avineon Tensing’s 3D aerial image analysis, photogrammetry, artificial intelligence and spatial data processing with SUEZ’s expertise in network operations, data verification and GIS integration. Designed to locate underground assets accurately, quickly and at lower cost, the method can be up to four times faster than standard approaches and can detect more than 90% of above-ground features. The digital process is supported by on-site inspections and certified surveyors to ensure data reliability and regulatory compliance. Following pilots launched in 2023 and deployments across several French regions, the first contract has been signed with the Épinal Agglomeration Community to georeference more than 800 kilometres of drinking water and wastewater networks, opening the way for a broader nationwide rollout.

(PRESS RELEASE) PARIS, 16-Jun-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — SUEZ and Avineon Tensing have announced a partnership to provide local authorities in France with a fast, reliable and cost-efficient solution for georeferencing water and wastewater networks. The collaboration was unveiled during the 105th Congress of the Scientific and Technical Association for Water and the Environment, known as ASTEE.

The partnership responds to new regulatory requirements that took effect on 1 January 2026, under which water and wastewater service operators must provide maps of their networks with centimetre-level Class A accuracy across France. The solution developed by SUEZ and Avineon Tensing is designed to help local authorities locate underground water and wastewater infrastructure accurately, safely and at scale.

The offering combines Avineon Tensing’s expertise in spatial data management and 3D aerial image analysis with SUEZ’s experience in water and wastewater network operations, data verification and integration with existing mapping systems. By using photogrammetry, artificial intelligence and spatial data processing, the solution can identify and geolocate network elements more quickly than traditional methods, while also supporting compliance with anti-damage regulations.

SUEZ will contribute its capabilities in data intake, validation and reconciliation with existing mapping tools, particularly Geographic Information Systems. Avineon Tensing will provide geospatial intelligence and advanced image analysis technologies to support the accurate detection and location of underground networks through above-ground indicators and related infrastructure data.

The partners said the solution offers significant advantages in time, cost and performance. It can be up to four times faster than conventional approaches, especially for large networks that generate substantial amounts of data. It also improves identification and location of network assets, including those on private property, with more than 90% of above-ground features detected. In addition, the method can substantially reduce georeferencing costs compared with standard solutions.

To ensure regulatory compliance and data reliability, the digital process is complemented by on-site inspections and the involvement of certified surveyors. This hybrid approach combines the speed of digital mapping with field verification, helping local authorities produce accurate and dependable network data.

The partnership builds on pilot projects launched in 2023 in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Since then, the collaboration has expanded into several territories, including Île-de-France and Hauts-de-France. The first contract under the new partnership has been signed with the Épinal Agglomeration Community and covers the georeferencing of more than 800 kilometres of drinking water and wastewater networks.

SUEZ and Avineon Tensing intend to roll out the solution across France, supporting local authorities as they adapt to new mapping obligations and modernise infrastructure asset management. The partnership also reflects the broader digital transformation of the water and wastewater sector, where accurate data, geospatial intelligence and AI-supported tools are becoming increasingly important for operational safety and long-term network management.

Arnaud Bazire, Executive Vice President Water France at SUEZ, said the partnership with Avineon Tensing demonstrates SUEZ’s ability to innovate in support of local authorities facing regulatory change and infrastructure management challenges. He said the combination of geospatial intelligence and SUEZ’s network management expertise gives local authorities a faster, more competitive and more efficient way to map underground assets. He also thanked the elected officials of the Épinal Agglomeration Community for their trust and said SUEZ is ready to respond to the needs of local authorities across France.

Eszter Fantoly, Business Director of Avineon Tensing France, said the partnership shows how geospatial intelligence can help address both regulatory and operational challenges. She said the combination of Avineon Tensing’s GIS, AI and industry knowledge with SUEZ’s field experience creates a precise and rapidly deployable solution that improves network data reliability and accelerates digital transformation.

SUEZ is a global player in water and waste management. In France, the group manages 92,000 kilometres of drinking water networks and 75,000 kilometres of wastewater networks. In 2025, SUEZ in France provided wastewater services to 2.8 million customers, representing 9.5 million people, produced 750 million cubic metres of drinking water and treated 1.1 billion cubic metres of wastewater.

About SUEZ:

Faced with growing environmental challenges, SUEZ has been delivering essential services that protect and improve our quality of life for more than 160 years. SUEZ provides its customers with innovative and resilient solutions for water and waste services. With 40,000 employees across 40 countries, the Group works with customers to create value over the full lifecycle of their assets and services, and to drive their low carbon transition. In 2025, SUEZ provided drinking water for 67 million people worldwide and sanitation services for 36 million people. The Group generated 8.7 TWh of energy from waste and wastewater. In 2025, SUEZ generated revenues of 9.5 billion euros.

For more information: www.suez.com

About Avineon Tensing:

A European leader in geospatial engineering, Avineon Tensing draws on the expertise of more than 200 consultants across Europe and 30 years of experience to turn the complexity of spatial data into strategic and operational solutions. At the intersection of FME, VertiGIS and ArcGIS technologies, our expertise spans the entire geospatial data lifecycle, from intelligent data capture and advanced analytics to 2D/3D/4D modelling, process automation and decision support. As an Esri partner, Avineon Tensing is among the few companies in Europe to hold both the “Network Management” speciality and the ArcGIS Pipeline Referencing (APR) speciality, reflecting our recognised expertise in network management. Avineon Tensing — Shaping Geospatial Intelligence.

Contacts:

SUEZ Press Office
Email: suez.media@suez.com
Tel: +33 6 32 18 39 54

Avineon Tensing Press Office
Email: france@avineon-tensing.com 

SOURCE: SUEZ