From wastewater treatment to wastewater collection
Occitan start-up Aquatech Innovation came into being in 2018. Its founder, Geneviève Marais, explains how the company came to offer a complete wastewater management system for marinas: "Originally, we developed a patented technology for treating wastewater in a port environment, without access to the city network. We proposed a floating treatment plant for sanitary facilities in the port of Cap d'Agde, with output water meeting bathing water quality standards. We gradually built up our strengths and knowledge of the market, and were approached by the outdoor hotel industry. Campsites asked us to work on wastewater collection, which we were able to reapply to the yachting sector. We're now working on water recycling, which is the hardest thing to do in a harbor environment, for sanitary facilities or boat washing."
Direct connection to boat holding tanks
As Geneviève Marais points out, the collection of black water is one of the main bottlenecks in port management, despite numerous efforts: "It's unfortunate to have expensive pumping stations lying idle."
In response, Aquatech Innovation has come up with a fixed system for collecting waste water from the boat, without having to go to the only dedicated pontoon, which is often a long way from the boat. At the same time as connecting to electricity and water, the yachtsman connects his hose to the harbor network. The founder sums up: "It's like being at home with a sewage system. The system is autonomous and therefore non-invasive. Boaters want to keep control of what happens to their boats. Via the app, he can therefore choose automatic pumping of his tank at set times, or trigger it himself."
An Aquatech Innovation network was inaugurated in Port Camargue at the end of 2023.
A lever for water savings
For Aquatech, innovation doesn't stop at supplying equipment, but also includes good water management. Through its mobile application and facility management software, the company enables marina professionals to better understand the use of equipment and water consumption via connected meters, thanks to the data collected. The solution implemented then enables concrete action to be taken to reduce drinking water consumption. This approach is consistent with that of Aquatech Innovation, which has been awarded the "Entreprise engagée pour la nature" label by the Office Français de la Biodiversité (French Office for Biodiversity), and is involved in reducing the impact of its products right from the design stage.
Investments and deliveries
After a launch period impacted by the Covid crisis, Aquatech Innovation is accelerating its development. At the end of 2023, the company closed a ?2 million financing round. The number of employees is set to rise from 10 at the end of 2023 to around 30 in 2024. The number of ports equipped is increasing. While Port Camargue has just been delivered, a floating treatment station for several barges is expected in June for the Metropole du Grand Paris.
