In Saint-Martin, Potable water access and the quality of networks remain major issues for the population. Last Wednesday, a new agreement was signed between theEEASM and French Development Agency (AFD), in the presence of the secretary general of the prefecture, Fabrice Thibier, and the 2nd vice-president of the Collectivity, Bernadette Davis. This agreement of 350,000 euros aims to finance support in engineering in order to strengthen the EEASM's capacity to carry out projects within the given timeframes.
This support, financed by the Overseas Fund, will cover part of the engineering costs related to priority investmentsThis includes securing and bringing existing infrastructure into compliance, creating or rehabilitating reservoirs, deploying leak detection equipment, and improving storage and distribution conditions. The goal is to optimize network management, reduce water losses, and strengthen resilience to climate and environmental risks.
A long-term cooperation
The relationship between the EEASM and the AFD is not new. The development agency has been involved in Saint Martin since 2017, providing its expertise and decisive financing. In 2023, the institution approached the AFD to accelerate the use of European funds, with a challenge: to undertake €4,9 million of work in just four months. Thanks to an engineering budget of €200,000, this challenge was successfully met.
Since, collaboration has continued to intensify. Three other grants were added, bringing the total amount to 1,45 million euros. made available by the Overseas Fund, supervised by the AFD. This support has made it possible to carry out projects with a significant investment volume for the EEASM, whose annual budget is around 15 million euros.
Water, a vital service
“Water is a sensitive subject in Saint-Martin,” recalled Raphaël Sanchez-Orozco, president of the EEASM, emphasizing the importance of not wasting time. For Gilles Chausse, director of the AFD, every public euro must have a concrete impact : “Water is a basic service and our investments must benefit as many people as possible, particularly in the most vulnerable neighborhoods.”
On the part of the Collectivité, Bernadette Davis recognized the extent of the needs and the necessity of “starting with small steps to move forward together”. As for the secretary general of the prefecture, he placed this partnership in a long-term strategy : “AFD is a historic development operator and a valuable tool for supporting structuring projects that will sustainably transform overseas territories.”
Towards a new factory
At the heart of the current projects is the construction of a new drinking water production plant. EEASM Director Alain Cyrille highlighted the strategic importance of this infrastructure. Environmental and technical studies are underway to define the size and cost of the project. A preliminary consultation will be held in late 2025-early 2026, before the launch of administrative procedures and the selection of the operator.
The construction site, scheduled for 2026/2027, should last between 20 and 24 months.Commissioning is expected in 2029. This plant should provide a sustainable response to the demand for drinking water, both in quantity and quality, while improving storage and distribution conditions throughout the country.
A long-term partnership
Beyond one-off funding, it is indeed a long-term strategy taking shapeThe AFD and the EEASM, with the support of the State and the Community, are working together to strengthen the credibility and effectiveness of projects. The objective is to avoid the pitfall of “studies that prepare studies” by moving quickly to implementation.
By drawing on the technical, financial, and administrative expertise of the AFD, the EEASM hopes to maintain, or even accelerate, the pace of investment. The challenge is immense, but the emergency is very real for a territory where aging infrastructure is struggling to keep up with demand. The agreement signed on October 1st illustrates a shared desire: to offer the residents of Saint-Martin a reliable, sustainable, and environmentally friendly water service. _Vx
Source: Faxinfo https://faxinfo.fr/en/environnement-un-partenariat-renforce-pour-leau-et-lassainissement-a-saint-martin/
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