United Water announced today that the company has been awarded a new contract to operate the City of Jersey City, New Jersey’s water system for the next 10 years. Under the terms of the agreement, United Water will manage the treatment plant, watershed, aqueduct, and distribution system and provide customer service, meter reading and billing services. The final contract terms have been submitted to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and the New Jersey Local Finance Board for review and approval.
United Water, whose current contract ends January 31, 2008, has operated the Jersey City facilities through a public-private partnership since 1996. The Jersey City Municipal Utilities Authority (JCMUA) Board of Commissioners, led by Eileen Gaughan, chairperson, and Daniel F. Becht, Esq., executive director, selected the firm for the new contract period following a competitive proposal process. The new contract, which takes effect February 1, 2008, represents approximately $13 million in annual revenue for United Water.
United Water, one of the nation’s largest water services companies, is a subsidiary of the Suez Environment division of the Suez Group, which supplies sustainable solutions for essential environmental services (water, wastewater treatment and waste services) to industrial and individual customers around the world.
“We’re honored that we have been selected to continue our partnership in Jersey City,” said Tony Harding, CEO of United Water. “The confidence that the JCMUA has placed in us demonstrates that United Water’s public-private partnership has delivered value to the community during the past 11 years. Our performance has increased revenues and reduced costs which have contributed to stabilized rates. We have also helped the city by improving water system performance, water quality and service reliability.”
“Our partnership with United Water has been successful on many levels,” said Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy. “By working together we have made significant financial and environmental progress for our city. A safe and reliable water system serves as the springboard for economic growth. I am confident that during the next decade United Water Jersey City will continue to make improvements that will make Jersey City an even better place to live, work and do business.”
United Water’s decade of achievements in Jersey City included:
• Collected a record $78.4 million in annual billings in 2007 for the JCMUA, compared to $42 million collected in 1997 at the inception of the public-private partnership
• Reduced major maintenance equipment repair costs by 500 percent from $2.7 million in 2000 to $500,000 in 2006
• Improved meter reading from 60 percent to an average of 97 percent actual reads
• Reduced aqueduct losses by more than 2 MGD due to operating efficiencies
• Resolved Consent Order for treatment residuals disposal and achieved acceptable NJDEP treatment plant rating
• Achieved Safe Drinking Water Act compliance with the Lead and Copper Rule
Under the terms of the new contract United Water will continue to operate the Boonton Water Treatment Plant, which has a capacity of 80 million gallons per day and serves 240,000 people in Jersey City as well as wholesale customers in Hoboken, Lyndhurst, Parsippany and Montville. The company also wholesales water to United Water New Jersey. In addition, United Water will maintain the city’s dams, a 120-square mile watershed, a 23-mile aqueduct system and 300 miles of water distribution mains.
About United Water
United Water is one of the nation’s leading water and wastewater services providers to over 7 million people in 26 states through the dedication of its 2,600 employees. In addition to owning and operating 20 regulated utilities, United Water operates 240 municipal systems through public-private partnerships and contract agreements, including three of the nation's largest water and wastewater contracts: Indianapolis, IN, Gary, IN and Jersey City, NJ. The company’s affiliate, Utility Service Company, provides water tank asset management services to over 2,000 municipal and industrial clients under long term contracts. Founded in 1869, United Water is a subsidiary of the SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT.
About Suez Environnement
Natural resources are not infinite. Each day, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT and its subsidiaries deal with the challenge to protect resources by providing innovative solutions to industries and to millions of people. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT supplies drinking water to 76 million people, provides wastewater treatment services for 44 million people and collects the waste produced by 60 million people. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has 65,400 employees and is present on five continents. It is a world leader exclusively dedicated to water supply and waste removal services. In 2008, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, a subsidiary in which GDF SUEZ has a 35% stake, achieved sales turnover of €12.4 billion ($17.6 billion USD). To find out more visit
www.suezenvironnement.com
.