Veolia Water North America, a provider of water and wastewater partnership services to municipal and industrial customers, was recognized for its work preserving California’s water quality by the California Water Environment Assn. (CWEA) and by its Colorado River Basin Section.
Veolia Water took home the Collection System of the Year Award for operating and managing the wastewater collection system in Palm Springs. Administered by the CWEA, the award is given to California facilities that achieve “state-of-the-art in wastewater collection” status.
“The importance of effective wastewater treatment and collection to the environment and to public health cannot be overstated,” said Philip Ashcroft, executive vice president at Veolia Water North America. “The responsibility for our water resources is long term and concerns future generations. We are very proud of the environmental work performed by our Palm Springs team.”
Veolia Water entered into a public-private partnership with the City of Palm Springs in 1999, when the city was looking for a private provider to assist it in meeting California’s environmental regulations. As part of that agreement, Veolia Water operates, manages and maintains the wastewater plant and collection system with guarantees to meet or exceed environmental regulations and to assist with capital improvements to the facilities. Veolia Water also assists with the management of the city’s program.
In addition to ensuring that wastewater treatment services continue to meet the needs of this resort community, Veolia Water has partnered with the city and an energy provider to implement a co-generation system that creates electricity using methane gas, thus reducing energy usage and the city’s carbon footprint. Veolia Water also partners with Palm Springs to offer residents a low-flush toilet rebate program to save water, and the project has received several awards for safe operations.
“Our mission is to provide sustainable environmental solutions to our North American clients,” Ashcroft said. “This environmental award is a testament to the strong focus on water quality in Palm Springs and a symbol of the strength of our partnership with the city.”
Source: Veolia Water North America
