Veolia wins contract renewal for wastewater treatment plants in New Orleans, US

French Veolia has renewed contract with the Sewerage & Water Board (S&WB) of New Orleans for management of two wastewater treatment plants in the US state of Louisiana.

The contract renewal, worth $122m, is for ten-year duration and comes with one-year renewal options, totalling additional ten years.

The French firm had been serving the US city through its subsidiary Veolia North America since 1992.

Under the renewed contract, the company will provide operation, maintenance and management services of the two wastewater treatment plants in New Orleans.

Awarded through a tender process, the contract is aimed at treating more than 550,000m³ of wastewater per day in a cost-effective process.

The treated wastewater is also expected to be in compliance with the stringent environmental standards in the country.

Under the contract, Veolia is also expected to offer capital investments, hurricane recovery, septage receiving and biosolids disposal services for the facilities.

S&WB and Veolia are expected to commit 30% of revenue from their partnership to local companies which meet requirements of the Economically Disadvantaged Businesses programme in New Orleans.

Veolia has identified over ten target companies under the program, which intends to eliminate discrimination and socio-economic imbalances.

S&WB executive director Cedric S. Grant said: "Our relationship has enabled us to achieve exceptional results as regards water quality, while at the same time saving millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money.

"Veolia has made a big contribution to making the Sewerage & Water Board an indispensable environmental partner for the residents of New Orleans and to obtaining significant results."

Veolia North America Municipal and Commercial Business Lines president and COO William J. DiCroce said: "We see the board’s new goals as an opportunity to strengthen our relationship with our client and continue to make significant impact within the New Orleans community.

"Forward-thinking agreements such as this one have the ability to set and achieve economic, social and environmental goals that go beyond the technical aspects of effectively managing public assets."

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Image: Veolia had been partnering with the city since 1992. Photo: courtesy of Veolia.