The contract has been renewed for 16 years at an amount of €16m a year. It will come into effect from 1 April, 2016.
Under the terms of the renewed deal, Suez will meet the demands expressed by residents with respect to the hardness of their water, its taste and the need for advice on limiting their consumption.
The company will introduce remote meter reading of all the meters in the zone between 2016 and 2019. Citizens will receive free alerts in case of leaks and extra consumption.
Valenciennes water authority president Jean-Roger Berrier said: "We wanted to put the users at the heart of the concerns of the elected members of the water authority and of the service provider.
"In particular, we want to produce water that is perceptibly softer for every one of our residents."
Suez managing director of Eau France Bertrand Camus said: "Our know-how in the management of connected water networks and remote meter-reading will enable us to meet all the inhabitants’ demands.
"Drinking tap water makes economic and ecological sense. With the Valenciennes water authority, we want to turn drinking tap water into an everyday habit."
Additional systems to treat limestone (decarbonation units) will also be introduced in three main drinking water facilities at Vicq, Wandignies and Boucain. The plants will start supplying water from 2018.
Along with this, the water authority is also planning to introduce a ‘virtual coach’, a free app that can allow users to keep track of their water consumption.
