Continuing the countrys longest public-private partnership for water management services, Burlingame, Calif., recently renewed a contract with USFilter to operate the citys 5.5 mgd wastewater treatment facility. Worth $1.6 million annually, the contract continues the 26 year relationship for five more years.
The first operations agreement between Burlingame and USFilter dates back to 1972. Burlingame and USFilter, then called Envirotech Operating Services, pioneered privatization by making the first U.S. agreement to transfer a municipal treatment facility operation to the private sector.
"It obviously took a gutsy city council to step out as the first ones in the country to contract private-sector wastewater services," said Burlingame City Manager Dennis Argyres. "The continuation of our relationship reflects the fact that we want expertise in a very specialized field."
During the long-standing relationship, the city closed the landfill adjacent to the wastewater treatment plant and is constructing recreational uses for the location. USFilter operates the closed landfill sites methane recovery unit and conducts closure monitoring. The city credits the company with reducing costs and eliminating odor complaints.
To USFilters credit, another of its operations recently received recognition. The Georgia Water and Pollution Control Association presented its Operator of the year award to Gary Dodd, Assistant Plant Manager at the USFilter operated Altanta/Fulton County Water Treatment Plant. Dodd received the award as a Class I certified operator with a track record for operational excellence and sound educational training programs. This marks the second year that the District has recognized one of USFilters operators.
The Atlanta/Fulton County Water Treatment Plant won the Georgia Water and Pollution Control Associations Outstanding Plant of the Year Award and Safety Award two years running, in 1996 and 1997. In 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency Region IV recognized the facility with the Safe Drinking Water Excellence Award and the Water Taste Challenge Award.
In Burlingame, USFilters wastewater treatment plant manager Rich Perna commented, "Private-sector companies can help a community lower or stabilize rates, provide customized solutions and expertise for water treatment and management, and continue to maintain operations that are safe and environmentally compliant."
