The City of Poughkeepsie, in the state of New York, United States, has renewed an agreement with Veolia to continue managing and operating its wastewater system under a 10-year contract.

Since 1980, Veolia North America has managed the wastewater system and facilities for the City of Poughkeepsie, which serves a population of approximately 45,000. Under this renewed 10-year public-private partnership, Veolia will operate, maintain and manage (O&M) the city’s 10-million-gallons-per-day activated sludge wastewater treatment plant, 10 pump stations, biosolids management, Industrial Pretreatment Program, sludge disposal and stormwater management. Veolia will also provide capital support for upgrades to the city’s wastewater treatment plant and pump stations to improve efficiencies and yield additional savings.

Using a stringent O&M plan and approach, Veolia has reduced operating expenses for the city by US$170,000 annually. In addition, the revenue-generating septage receiving program introduced by Veolia has yielded approximately US$800,000 annually and US$6.6 million total in revenues for the city over the last 10 years – a key factor in offsetting water and sewer rate increases for residents. As part of this renewed O&M agreement with the city, Veolia will also help lower long-term operating costs through a US$600,000 capital investment. By improving the sludge dewatering and odor control systems, the hauling costs for sludge disposal will be reduced by an estimated 40 – 50 percent.

Joseph Chenier, assistant civil engineer for the City of Poughkeepsie, said:

“Through this partnership with Veolia, the city has reduced odor complaints by 85 percent, while maintaining an outstanding record of regulatory compliance – helping to protect the environment and ensure the safety of the community and its citizens,”

“In addition, Veolia has helped deliver millions in savings by streamlining operational efficiencies and introducing new technology and innovative programs that have generated revenue for the city. We look forward to working with Ed Steeprock, project manager for Veolia, and his team for years to come.”

William J. DiCroce, president and CEO of Veolia North America, said:

“As our longest-running partnership in New York State and as one of the oldest public-private partnerships in North America, our joint accomplishments illustrate our commitment to delivering cost-effective, safe and environmentally compliant services”.

“Together, we’ve also been able to create value for the community by helping mitigate rate increases through innovative technical programs.”