Nassau County (Long Island, USA) Executive Edward P. Mangano announced a public-private partnership with United Water  to manage and operate the County's three wastewater treatment facilities and sewage system.

Under the 20 year agreement signed, United Water is tasked with managing the County's three treatment plants and sewage collection system: Bay Park in East Rockaway, that serves some 532,000 residents; Cedar Creek in Wantagh, that serves 600,000 residents; and Glen Cove, that serves 27,000 residents.

The total investment is estimated about US$700 million.

Nassau County will maintain full ownership of the facilities while providing far greater environmental leadership and operational transparency. The project aims to better safeguard the environment, strengthen the quality of life in surrounding communities, improve facilities management and save taxpayers a minimum of US$233 million.

County Executive Mangano stated:

This partnership was formed to dramatically improve the County's ability to protect our environment and the health and well-being of our residents. Together with United Water, we will implement unprecedented advances in environmental protection, odor control, management efficiencies, plant aesthetics and public information. Furthermore, this effort permits a more effective and efficient management of the plants and sewage system following the Federal government's significant investment in storm hardening of our infrastructure.

Mr. Bertrand Camus, Chief Executive Officer of United Water, commented:

In municipalities across the country our firm has been entrusted with one of the most important assets of any community: its water supplies and sanitary sewage system. Every day we treat billions of gallons of water and we do it safely and effectively while bringing operational savings to the taxpayer. We intend to bring that record of performance to one of the most important suburban counties in the nation.

United Water, based in Harrington Park, NJ, is an environmental companies, providing water and wastewater services to over 5.3 million people in the United States. In addition to owning and operating 16 water and wastewater utilities, United Water operates 84 municipal and industrial water and wastewater systems through innovative public-private partnerships and contract agreements.