The challenge
As one of the nation's oldest public-private partnerships, Veolia North America and the City of Leominster have set standards for cooperation, cost savings and an amazing 25 years with only one single lost-time accident. This is a safety milestone few, if any, U.S. or Canadian municipal water facilities have achieved.
The project challenges are:
- Veolia entered into a design/build and operate/maintain/manage (O&M) agreement with the City of Leominster in 1983.
- After startup, we phased out the existing wastewater treatment facility, the second activated sludge plant in the United States. Under the current contract, Veolia operates a 4-MGD surface water treatment plant, 1.2-MGD surface plant, chlorination station, two clear wells, a 9.3-MGD advanced secondary activated sludge wastewater treatment plant and nine pump stations.
- We also are responsible for an industrial pretreatment program, security vulnerability assessment, septage receiving and sludge hauling.
The solution
Innovative solutions:
- Help city evaluate alternative sludge-disposal options.
- Manage major rehabilitation of Notown Water Treatment Plant, including replacement of all mechanical and electrical systems and extensive architectural improvements.
- Provide instrumentation upgrades to Fallbrook plant.
- Build fully automated, off-site contact tank facility to ensure consistent water quality throughout the distribution system.
- Conduct a Security Vulnerability Assessment and develop Emergency Response Plan to identify areas of water security risk and recommend mitigation measures.
- Provide hazardous materials and emergency response training for city's water and wastewater facilities as well as routine operations and maintenance training.
Benefits for our clients
Results:
- Marked 25 years with only one lost-time accident.
- Generates more than $300,000 a year in savings.
- Projected savings of $2 million on new 2-MGD reservoir treatment plant.
- Renewed 20-year contract in 1996 based on highly successful operation.
- Received O&M Excellence Award from EPA Region 1 in 1998 and 1999.
- Won George W. Burke Safety Award from Water Environment Federation in 1998.
- Earned O&M Excellence Award (honorable mention) from Massachusetts Water Pollution Control Association in 1989.
- Garnered O&M Excellence Award from Massachusetts Department of Environmental Quality Engineering in 1987.
- Recipient of the George W. Burke Jr. Facility Safety Award from the Water Environment Federation.