USIBWC renews contract for wastewater treatment plant along Mexican border with Veolia

US International Boundary and Water Commission has renewed its operations and maintenance agreement with French utility Veolia for South Bay International wastewater treatment facility (SBIWTP) outside the district of San Ysidro in California.

The district is located towards the immediate north of the US-Mexico border along which the water rights management rests with the federal agency USIBWC.

SBIWTP has a daily treatment capacity of 25 million gallon and was set up to solve sanitation issues along the San Diego – Tijuana border.

The plant offers waste management services for Mexico and protects US waterways and beaches from uncontrolled wastewater discharges.

The new contract has an estimated worth of around $45m over its term and is an extension of the previous deal under which Veolia was responsible for the operations, management and maintenance of the SBIWTP along with its related infrastructure.

The French firm had been responsible for managing chemical procurement for the treatment plant and overseeing its annual repair and maintenance programme as well.

Veolia will be working in co-ordination with the Mexican authorities for residual disposals from the plant.

It will also be operating and looking after the maintenance of canyon interceptors and pump stations at the plant, which collect wastewater flows from Mexico.

Veolia North America senior vice president Lanita McCauley Bates said: "Since the beginning of our partnership, we’ve worked together with the USIBWC to build and operate a world-class facility that plays a critical role in the protection of our environment and meets key infrastructure needs along the California border."

The contract extension will require Veolia to increase its staffing and certification levels at the facility in order to cater to USIBWC’s performance and scheduling requirements.

The firm will also need to increase personnel to help meet enhanced IT security standards for the federal agency.

Initial contract for the plant was awarded to Veolia in 1996 following which, the firm has carried out over 80 improvement projects at facility.

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Image: South Bay International wastewater treatment facility. Photo: courtesy of Veolia.