Utility Breaks Ground on Water Pollution Control Facility Project

BROOMFIELD, CO, Aug. 2 2006 -- The Augusta Utilities Department (AUD) and MWH recently held a groundbreaking to celebrate the beginning of construction improvements to the James B. Messerly Water Pollution Control Plant. The project is part of AUD's Benchmark 2010 capital improvement program, which aims to bring the best possible services to the approximately 200,000 residents served by the department.

The improvements to the wastewater treatment plant, which discharges into the Phinizy Swamp wetland treatment system and eventually into the Savannah River, will be made to ensure that the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit limits can be more reliably met into the future. The James B. Messerly Water Pollution Control Plant currently serves approximately 150,000 area residents in Georgia's second largest city. Important project details, including project milestones and road closures, will be reported throughout the duration of the project at www.jbmesserlyproject.com.

"The James B. Messerly Water Pollution Control Plant is already an award-winning facility that consistently exceeds federal and state requirements for cleaning up water before it is returned to Butler Creek and the Savannah River," said Allen Saxon, AUD's Assistant Director for Wastewater Treatment. "The goal of this project is to upgrade and modernize this facility to position us to meet the wastewater treatment needs of this community as we grow into the future."

Representatives from several firms that make up the Messerly Project Team took part in the ceremony. Led by MWH, the construction manager for the project, the consultants with key roles in the project include the Messerly Design Group, CH2M HILL and OMI. In addition to comments from Saxon, the ceremony included comments from Utility Director N. Max Hicks, President of MWH Constructors Joe Adams and CEO of MWH Robert Uhler.

Also participating in the ceremony were Augusta-Richmond County (ARC) Commissioners Don Granthum and Jimmy Smith. Both commissioners noted the importance of the project to the future of Augusta and complimented the project team on its successful inclusion of local, small and disadvantaged businesses who will be performing the bulk of the construction work for the first phase of the project.

As construction manager for the project, MWH's approach also includes significant ongoing community support for various local charities and educational organizations. The commissioners expressed appreciation for this positive corporate involvement in the community.

Those also attending the event included Geri Sams - ARC Director of Procurement, Yvonne Gentry - ARC Disadvantaged Business Coordinator and representatives from the Menk Company, Contract Management, Inc. and Vastec Group, local companies that will be performing the first phase of construction work.

About MWH

Headquartered in Broomfield, Colo., MWH is a private, employee-owned firm with approximately 6,000 employees worldwide. The company provides water, wastewater, energy, natural resource, program management, consulting and construction services to industrial, municipal and government clients in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, India, Asia and the Pacific Rim. For more information about MWH, please visit the company's Web site at www.mwhglobal.com.

About AUD

AUD is a potable water treatment and distribution system serving an estimated population of 200,000 and a wastewater collection and treatment system serving an estimated population of 160,000. Both systems serve a diverse industrial and commercial population. AUD is currently underway with a 10-Year Capital Improvement Program estimated at $360 million that began in 2000.

In addition to upgrading and expanding the water distribution and sewage collection systems, the program will provide for expansion of the existing raw water pumping station, water treatment plant and wastewater treatment plant. This complete program has been designated as Benchmark 2010, which encompasses the goal of the department to be a benchmark water and sewer utility by or before that year and to ensure that Augusta's customers receive service that is cost effective and customer friendly, as well as reliable and up-to-date.

For more information, please visit AUD's Web site at www.augustaga.gov/departments/utilities.