Partnership Renewal Highlights
- 5-year agreement
- $60 million over contract term
- Commitment to providing educational opportunities for local students, mentoring program for disadvantaged businesses
Five-year renewal for operations, maintenance and management of wastewater treatment plants and environmental campus builds on award-winning relationship
BOSTON, Dec. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fulton County Board of Commissioners has renewed its partnership with Veolia, the global leader in environmental solutions and optimized resource management, to continue operating, maintaining and managing the county's wastewater facilities serving approximately 200,000 people in the north area of the county. The five-year agreement is valued at $60 million over the contract term and covers a combined treatment capacity of 40 million gallons of wastewater per day.
Veolia North America will be responsible for operations and maintenance of the county's wastewater assets, including three treatment facilities, 30 wastewater pump stations and one grinder station, and also will provide maintenance services for other water-related assets. Veolia also will continue a robust preventive maintenance program to protect the county's assets, provide support for capital improvements, and manage community outreach and education and business mentoring programs. Fulton County will continue to own all wastewater assets and maintain rate-setting authority.
Veolia has provided operations, maintenance and management services to Fulton County since 2010 under a public-private partnership agreement that has been recognized by numerous agencies for outstanding operations and regulatory compliance. The Georgia Association of Water Professionals recently named the state-of-the-art Johns Creek Environmental Campus (JCEC) the 2014 wastewater plant of the year. This $137-million facility has one of the largest submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) systems in the United States and treats wastewater to an effluent quality for reuse in irrigation, lavatories, and fire protection on the campus grounds. The facility also has a complete odor control system that prevents any odorous air from leaving the facility.
As part of the renewal, Veolia remains committed to supporting the county's disadvantaged business program through a mentor-protege approach that trains and grows qualified firms in Fulton County. The program is focused on recruiting firms interested in providing services to the county. The number of qualified subcontractors and vendors in the program has grown from 17 in 2010 to 20 during the last five years, with 30 percent of Veolia's fee being spent with minority- and women-owned businesses.
"We continue to maintain a clear focus on supporting the environmental and social goals of Fulton County," said William J. DiCroce, president and COO of Veolia North America's Municipal & Commercial Business. "From a highly effective mentor-protege program to operational strategies that efficiently maintain and manage cutting-edge technologies and processes, we're very proud of what we've been able to achieve together and look forward to building on this progress in the years to come."
Another key element of our partnership includes providing educational programming at the 10,000 square-foot JCEC Educational and Environmental Campus. The facility promotes water and wastewater educational opportunities in a fun and exciting environment with emphasis on educating children about the bioscience/life science industry and its relationship to the upper Chattahoochee River basin. Since contract inception more than 11,000 students toured the facility and received "hands-on" training and experience with the wastewater treatment process with over 16,000 visitors at the facility. (Photo Gallery Link)
The Water Resources Division of Fulton County's Public Works Department protects the health, safety and welfare of Fulton County's citizens through systematic planning, construction, maintenance and operation of the water, wastewater and stormwater infrastructure in the most sustainable, efficient and environmentally-sound manner. www.fultoncountyga.gov/fcwr-home.
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.
Awards and recognition
2014 – Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year, Johns Creek Environmental Campus
2013 - Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year, Little River WWTP Georgia Association of Water Professionals
2014, 2013, 2012, 2011& 2010 - Gold Award and Platinum Awards - 100% NPDES Compliance Georgia Association of Water Professionals
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151204/293432
SOURCE Veolia
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