From water and sewage treatment plants in Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines, to smart water solutions in Singapore, the environmental services group aims to respond to the region’s systemic needs while advancing its global push for sustainable water and waste resource management.
As Southeast Asia grapples with mounting pressure on water, waste and energy systems, one global player sees the region’s challenges as a decisive opportunity.
SUEZ, the French environmental services group, is positioning Southeast Asia as a strategic priority in its worldwide mission to drive what it calls “ecological transformation” — the shift towards more resilient, circular and low-carbon systems for managing essential resources.
Speaking with Water & Wastewater Asia, SUEZ chief executive officer Xavier Girre said the interconnected nature of water, waste and energy challenges across the region demands integrated, long-term solutions.
ASIA IN FOCUS
During a regional visit in early Feb 2026, Xavier Girre met partners and SUEZ teams in the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore to deepen collaboration with local municipalities and industrial stakeholders.
The visit comes as Southeast Asian cities face growing pressures that are straining existing infrastructure, including rapid population growth, climate volatility and rising demand for clean water, reliable sanitation and sustainable energy.
THE WATER, WASTE AND ENERGY NEXUS
For more than 160 years, SUEZ has delivered what it describes as essential services for public health and environmental protection. The industry, however, is now undergoing a structural shift.
Rather than treating water, waste and energy as separate systems, operators are increasingly expected to manage them as a single, interlinked network — one that can both reduce pollution and generate resources.
“The focus is no longer solely on treating individual pollutants, but on enhancing resource efficiency and contributing to the global energy and ecological transition,” Xavier Girre said. “It is about demonstrating that financial growth and social-environmental value can be seamlessly integrated.”
Wastewater and waste treatment, for example, can produce gas, heat and electricity. In 2024 alone, SUEZ generated around 8 TWh of thermal and electrical energy from waste and wastewater worldwide.
The challenge, Xavier Girre noted, is to optimise these synergies while pushing operations themselves towards net zero through energy-efficient processes and digitalisation.
“We are ready to deliver tailored solutions leveraging our extensive experience and innovative technology,” he said.
Read the full article in Water & Wastewater Asia, March/April 2026.
