City of Rialto and USFilter Operating Services Partner for Wastewater Treatment Services

The Rialto, Calif., city council voted unanimously to sign a five-year operations agreement for wastewater treatment services with USFilter Operating Services (USFilter). The $12 million agreement that includes three five-year renewals based on excellent performance calls for USFilter to operate and maintain the city's 8.4 million-gallon-per-day wastewater treatment plant, collection system and industrial pretreatment program. Additionally, USFilter will help the city implement a five-year capital improvement program to ensure the long-term reliability of Rialto's wastewater treatment system.

"Having outsourced our wastewater treatment operations for more than 17 years, we were simply looking to test the market. In today's tight economy, we were seeking a greater level of service at a lower cost for our wastewater operations, and we found it with USFilter," said Brad Baxter, director of public works for the city of Rialto.

The new public-private partnership with USFilter will enable this city of 95,000 to save almost $500,000 a year, or more than $2.5 million over the life of the contract. USFilter will apply its sound business practices, inject its technical know-how and use its economies of scale to create cost efficiencies.

"With USFilter as our partner, we now, for the first time, have a dedicated asset management program and a comprehensive capital improvement program to ensure our wastewater infrastructure is well maintained and can meet the needs of the community in the years to come," added Baxter.

Ron P. Davis, general manager for USFilter Operating Services, said, "Public-private partnerships for water services are proven in more than 1,000 communities across North America. We are excited that, again, a water partnership can benefit a community like Rialto. USFilter will provide professional management and expertise to move the city forward with solving its operational and fiscal issues related to wastewater treatment operations - all while facility ownership and rate-setting authority stay in the hands of city officials."

Local experience was a key driver in USFilter's selection by city officials. The company partners with seven California communities and holds the first and longest-standing public-private partnership for water services in the United States. This partnership with the city of Burlingame began in 1972 and has been consistently renewed, achieving significant benefits for the Northern California community.

Including the seven in California, USFilter operates more than 260 municipal water and wastewater facilities in North America, serving more than 13.5 million people.

Source: USFilter