Smart water services helping Macao achieve water sustainability

In 1985, SUEZ entered Macao, the “Vegas of the East”, and acquired an 85% share in Macao Water. The same year, we signed a 25-year water supply concession contract with the Macao SAR Government, to provide the city with full water services. Thanks to our outstanding performance, in 2009, we successfully renewed our contract for another 20 years – the first time a water supply concession project in Asia has completed a full cycle then received a successful extension.

The mission

Conserving precious fresh water

Macao, one of the world’s most densely populated cities, is a peninsula where freshwater is so scarce that about 96% of the city’s raw water comes from Zhuhai. Macao’s location at the Pearl River Estuary makes it highly vulnerable to the threat of salt tides. It is therefore vital to conserve freshwater resources and ensure the quality and safety of the water supply.

On the other hand, with an area of only 32.9 square kilometers, Macao has over 680,000 residents and welcomes over 30 million tourists from all over the world each year. The booming tourism and gaming industries inject economic vibrancy, boost social development and drive demand for safe water.

SUEZ has been a part of the Macao’s community for almost four decades. We provide drinking water production, distribution, and customer services for the entire city, helping Macao preserve its water resources and reinforce its resilience.

Our solution

Reliable and quality water services reinforcing Macao's resilience and prosperity

Our water treatment plant uses the most up-to-date water processing techniques. By using the Group’s proprietary technologies, we incorporate smart water into water supply systems and manipulate urban water supply, with Big Data. This further optimizes water supply facilities and the operational efficiency of the water network, to consistently supply high-quality drinking water to all Macao citizens and industries that meets both Macao and European drinking water standards, and surpasses World Health Organization guidelines. We have also been leading the world in terms of water loss, outperforming China’s 14th Five-Year Plan official target of “no more than 9% water leakage rate in municipal water supply networks by 2025”, nearly a decade ahead of schedule.

Water management optimization

Discover our smart solutions (on our global website suez.com)

Self-innovated solution to ensure water quality and safety

We have innovated a safer, faster and more sensitive detection method, using Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction (DDPCR) technology to absolutely quantify water-borne pathogens in water supply systems. This solution is the first of its kind to be deployed in Macao's water industry. It further ensures the water quality and safety.

Digitalizing water services to build a water-conserving smart city to achieve water sustainability

In recent years, Macao has been accelerating efforts towards its smart city vision of, “leading on digital technology and providing civic services through intelligence”. Smart water is integral to realizing this vision. Leveraging on the Group’s global experience and solutions, SUEZ has been implementing them in our daily activities to help the city make the most productive use of water resources and improve its resilience.

New water treatment plant meeting Macao’s growing demand for the next 10-year

In the development of smart cities, green buildings are a key component for accelerating sustainable urban development. Constructed and operated by SUEZ, the Seac Pai Van water treatment plant in Macao is one of the best examples in driving community water conservation efforts. It was also the first water treatment plant in Macao to be awarded the one-star Green Building Design Label. Not only did it achieve a lower energy footprint through energy savings and reclaimed water reuse solutions, but it also significantly improved Macao’s water supply infrastructure as a whole, ensuring the city’s growing water demand in the next decade.

Driving innovation for unrivalled service excellence and digital services further boosting customer satisfaction

Through our relentless pursuit of innovation, we aim to provide excellent service to our customers. In addition to digital customer service, we have also established a dedicated Customer Liaison Group whose members include more than 20 business and industry groups, as well as civil society organizations and consumer councils. This has enhanced the efficiency of our communications with the government, industry customers, associations and city residents. It also allows us to deliver timely updates on our continuous service improvements.

Additionally, to ensure customers get their issues addressed swiftly and have access to on-demand support, SUEZ links its WeChat service account to smart metering. In this way, we get accurate, up-to-date information on users’ water consumption and water use habits.

It’s more than service. It’s a mission, creating shared value for all.

SUEZ believes water supply is more than just about service; it’s also about commitment to community! The company takes its role as a responsible corporate citizen very seriously. And prioritizes giving social, cultural, and environmental value to the community it serves. In recognition of Macao Water’s commitment to water conservation outreach, support for local community engagement, gender equality, women’s career development, and attention to employees’ work-life balance, the company is a multiple winner of the Most Socially Responsible Water Company in China award, the Outstanding Corporate Volunteer award, and the Most Family-Friendly Employer award. The project has also been engaged by Tsinghua University as a practice base for the university’s students.

The results

Through smart water solutions and excellent operations and management, we have not only improved water quality and operational efficiency, but also reduced resource consumption. Today, Macao Water is recognized as one of the most successful Public-Private Partnership (PPP) models in Asia, a benchmark for China’s water industry, as well as the Most Inspiring Climate Smart Case by the International Water Association (IWA).