OFFICE INTERNATIONAL DE L'EAU

Their core work

OIEAU (Office International de l'Eau) is a French association dedicated to water management expertise, spanning policy, technology, and capacity building across the full water cycle. They specialize in bridging the gap between water utilities, technology providers, and policy makers — translating research into practical tools like decision support systems, benchmarking platforms, and smart metering solutions for public water services. Their work ranges from industrial wastewater resource recovery to agricultural water retention, with a strong international dimension including EU-Africa water cooperation and China-Europe knowledge exchange.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

OIEAU's early H2020 work (2015-2018) centered on policy frameworks, international cooperation, and benchmarking tools — relatively soft, advisory contributions focused on best practices and access to finance. From 2019 onward, they shifted sharply toward applied technology: smart metering, FIWARE-based digital water platforms, wastewater resource recovery, and precision agricultural water management. This evolution shows a clear move from knowledge broker to technology integrator in the water sector.

OIEAU is positioning itself at the intersection of digital technologies (IoT, FIWARE, DSS) and circular water management — expect them to pursue smart water infrastructure and water-energy-food nexus projects.

How they like to work

OIEAU operates primarily as a partner (5 of 7 projects) but has proven coordination capability, leading both a pre-commercial procurement (SMART.MET) and a large innovation action (Fiware4Water). With 98 unique partners across 31 countries, they maintain an exceptionally wide network rather than relying on repeat collaborations — making them a strong connector in the European water community. Their mix of CSA, IA, RIA, and PCP project types shows versatility in adapting to different funding instruments and project structures.

OIEAU has built an extensive network of 98 unique partners across 31 countries, spanning Europe, Africa, and China. This breadth is unusual for an organization of their size and reflects their role as a knowledge hub connecting water sector actors across continents.

What sets them apart

OIEAU occupies a rare position as a water-focused association that combines deep sector knowledge with hands-on technology integration capability. Unlike pure research institutes, they understand utility operations and public procurement (demonstrated by coordinating a PCP project); unlike technology companies, they bring policy expertise and an extensive international network. For consortium builders, they offer a trusted bridge between water utilities, technology developers, and public authorities — particularly valuable in projects requiring multi-actor engagement and real-world deployment.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Fiware4Water
  Coordinated a significant innovation action (EUR 451K to OIEAU) applying FIWARE open-source platform to the water sector — signals their ambition in digital water infrastructure.
• OPTAIN
  Their largest single project (EUR 589K), running until 2026, focused on agricultural water retention with multi-objective optimization — represents their newest strategic direction.
• SMART.MET
  Rare pre-commercial procurement (PCP) project coordinated by OIEAU, demonstrating ability to manage demand-side innovation with public water utilities as buyers.