HOUSTON, June 2, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Asset management was a key driver in the Gresham, Ore., City Council's recent vote to award a 7-year, $21 million wastewater services contract to Veolia Water North America - West LLC.
The public-private partnership calls for Veolia Water to manage Gresham's wastewater treatment system that serves about 106,000 people and receives domestic, commercial and industrial wastewater from Gresham and neighboring communities. The wastewater treatment system includes a 20 million-gallon-per-day treatment plant, biosolids management program, cogeneration operation, laboratory services and nine lift stations.
"Our sound technical program is what convinced the city to go with Veolia Water," said Chibby Alloway, president, Veolia Water North America - West LLC. "Asset management, central to our plan in Gresham, is gaining traction with many cities across the country as they increasingly understand that managing their water and wastewater assets through a technically based life-cycle approach will ultimately lead to lower overall costs, greater asset life and improved reliability of their water and wastewater facilities."
Veolia Water's proposed asset management program was a factor that Gresham leaders weighed heavily in their decision because it meant more reliable management of the city's $70 million wastewater asset.
"The anticipated savings will far exceed the cost difference in proposals and will move Gresham forward in having a 'best-in-class' wastewater treatment system," said Dave Rouse, Gresham environmental services director.
In addition to the deployment of a comprehensive asset management program, Veolia Water plans other improvements such as automation of the dewatering system and enhancements to lift stations.
Veolia Water North America is the leading provider of comprehensive water and wastewater services to municipal and industrial customers, providing services to about 14 million people in more than 600 communities. The company is part of Veolia Water, the No. 1 water services company in the world, serving more than 110 million customers. Veolia Water is the Water Division of Veolia Environment (NYSE:VE)(Paris Bourse:VIE), the largest environmental services company in the world with more than 252,000 employees in more than 80 countries and annual revenues of more than $33.6 billion. Visit its North American website at www.veoliawaterna.com or the global website at www.veoliawater.com.
In related news: "Veolia Water wins operations agreement for 3.5 mgd WWTP in Cle Elum, Wash."
###
