BOSTON, June 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Partnership Renewal
Highlights
- 10-year agreement
- $122 million over contract
term
- 30% of spending invested in economically-disadvantaged
businesses
- $35 million savings since
1992
Ten-year renewal for operation, maintenance and management of
city's wastewater treatment plants also supports investment in
local businesses and continues cost savings and compliance
measures
The Sewerage & Water Board of New
Orleans (S&WB) has renewed its partnership with Veolia,
the world's leading provider of environmental solutions, to
continue operating, maintaining and managing the city's two
wastewater treatment plants. The 10-year agreement is valued at
$122 million over the contract term
and covers a combined treatment capacity of nearly 150 million
gallons per day (MGD), in addition to support for capital
improvements, hurricane recovery, septage receiving and biosolids
disposal.
Veolia North America has provided services to the S&WB since
1992, and the public-private partnership remains one of the largest
in the United States. The S&WB
and Veolia have been consistently recognized for their outstanding
compliance record with State and EPA regulations and recently won a
Gold award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies
for perfect environmental compliance. Veolia has worked with the
S&WB to generate more than $35
million in overall savings for residents.
As part of a competitive renewal process, the S&WB increased
its target level for supporting Economically Disadvantaged
Businesses from 20 percent to 30 percent. In the renewed
partnership, 30 percent of revenues through the partnership will be
conducted by Veolia's local economically disadvantaged business
partners. Veolia has successfully exceeded the agency's past
requirements. In meeting the new requirements, Veolia has committed
to support from more than 10 qualified companies. Organized through
the New Orleans Office of Supplier Diversity, this gender- and
race-neutral program was created to mitigate the effects of social
and economic disadvantage and discrimination.
"Our relationship has produced a stellar record for clean water
quality while saving tens of millions of dollars for ratepayers,"
said Executive Director Cedric S.
Grant. "Veolia has done much to make the Sewerage and
Water Board a strong environmental partner to the residents of
New Orleans and produce meaningful
results for our community. We look forward to building on our
record of success while working together to provide additional
opportunities to the region's economically disadvantaged
communities."
"We see the Board's new goals as an opportunity to strengthen
our relationship with our client and continue to make significant
impact within the New Orleans
community," said William J. DiCroce,
president and COO of Veolia North
America's Municipal & Commercial Business.
"Forward-thinking agreements such as this one have the ability to
set and achieve economic, social and environmental goals that go
beyond the technical aspects of effectively managing public
assets. We're excited to be entrusted with continuing to
serve this great city."
The S&WB and Veolia have recently undertaken several
environmental projects to build on our business relationship. Most
recently, a wetlands assimilation project, developed in conjunction
with Tulane University, is leveraging
our expertise to restore urban, degraded wetlands into a lavish
cypress forest. In another project, ash from incineration will be
used to help improve the natural landscape of New Orleans while eliminating the amount of
ash sent to landfill.
Veolia was selected following a competitive procurement process.
The 10-year agreement includes the option for 10 one-year renewal
opportunities.
The Sewerage and Water Board has served residents and
protected the environment since 1899. Originally formed to combat
disease by providing safe drinking water and eliminating the health
hazards of open sewer ditches, today the S&WB continues its
mission using 21st-century technology. The Board's
mission is to provide safe drinking water to everyone in
New Orleans; to remove wastewater
for safe return to the environment; to drain away stormwater; to
provide water for fire protection; to provide information about
products and services; and to do all of this continuously at a
reasonable cost to the community. www.swbno.org
Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resource
management. With over 179,000 employees* worldwide, the Group
designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions
that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and
industries. Through its three complementary business activities,
Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available
resources, and to replenish them. In 2014, the Veolia group
supplied 96 million people with drinking water and 60 million
people with wastewater service, produced 52 million megawatt hours
of energy and converted 31 million metric tons of waste into new
materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris
Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of $29.6 billion* in 2014. www.veolia.com
(*) 2014 pro-forma figures, including Dalkia International
(100%) and excluding Dalkia France.
More information about our partnership
Case study
A look inside the East Bank Treatment Plant
New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board Receives National
Honor
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SOURCE Veolia North America