1905
Ozone: a major technological breakthrough
A process using ozone to filter and sterilize water is developed to supplement or replace chlorine. It is implemented for the first time four years later. Research and development efforts increase steadily throughout the 20th century, eventually leading to the creation of the Water Research Center and the Energy and Waste Management Research Center.
1912
Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Automobiles founded
Charles Blum founds Compagnie Générale d'Entreprises Automobiles (CGEA) to buy, sell, maintain and operate a fleet of industrial vehicles equipped with the front axle invented by Georges Latil.
CGEA enters the Paris household waste collection market in 1919 and goes on to merge with CGE in 1980.
1935
Chauffage Service founded
Léon Dewailly founds Chauffage Service, a company specializing in the operation of heating and air-conditioning systems.
In 1960, Chauffage Service merges with Compagnie Générale de Chauffe (CGC), established in 1944, and the expanded company joins CGE in 1967.
1953
100th anniversary of Compagnie Générale des Eaux
The Compagnie Générale des Eaux celebrates its centennial. The company supplies 8 million people with water in France over a network spanning 10,000 km. CGE begins to branch out into new services such as municipal waste collection.