Norwalk, CT, May 18, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- After being awarded the $78 million contract to operate and maintain the wastewater system for Norwalk, Connecticut last year, SUEZ officially begins its 10-year partnership today with the Norwalk Water Pollution Control Authority (WPCA). This partnership includes the management of the community’s 18 million-gallon-per day wastewater treatment facility, 210 miles of sanitary sewers, and 25 pump stations. Under the agreement, SUEZ will provide overall management and operations service to Norwalk’s 89,000 residents and businesses and bring enhanced services to protect the environment and community as a whole.
“I am looking forward to this partnership and the benefits it will bring to our community,” stated Harry W. Rilling, Mayor of the City of Norwalk. “SUEZ has already embraced our community as its own and I am confident that they will bring us one step closer to protecting our environment and the well-being of our residents.”
“We are excited to partner with the Norwalk community,” said Nadine Leslie, CEO of SUEZ North America. “It’s clear that Cities like Norwalk are looking for new affordable solutions to manage the most essential services for their community. SUEZ has proven that we have the best expertise in meeting local market needs and can provide first-class technical support and customer service. These new tools will be key to the success of our partnership as we support the Norwalk WPCA and move forward in our journey to operational excellence.”
SUEZ will bring newer solutions to Norwalk including the latest technology in asset management. The introduction of the Sewer Line- Rapid Assessment Tool (SL-RAT) into the collection system will allow SUEZ to use acoustics to assess and prioritize sewer lines that need maintenance. SUEZ will also install process-monitoring equipment to enhance process control and effluent quality. This addition will directly impact the local shellfish industry, who rely on water quality to produce shellfish for harvesting. The City will also have access to a network of SUEZ experts and resources across North America and the globe. These additions will continue to modernize the system and allow the operation to run at a higher level of efficiency.
“We are looking forward to our partnership with SUEZ and transforming our system from the inside out,” said Ralph Kolb, Senior Environmental Engineer with the Norwalk Water Pollution Control Authority. “This partnership will bring a great deal of opportunity for Norwalk to build a sustainable wastewater system and for our local team to grow as well.”
SUEZ also invests in each community it serves and collaborates with local stakeholders. SUEZ has been proactive even prior to the start date and has plans to support the City’s Summer Youth Employment Program and the Mayor’s Summer Science and Engineering Program at Maritime Aquarium. In April, SUEZ provided lunch for over 80 first responders amidst the COVID-19 outbreak in Norwalk.
In line with precautions based on the COVID-19 crisis, SUEZ will implement business continuity plans that align with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations to protect against the virus. SUEZ has reviewed these plans with the WPCA and will work with the Norwalk OEM to streamline emergency communications and processes. “Protecting our employees and their families is our highest priority so we can deliver premier service to the residents and businesses of Norwalk,” said Ms. Leslie.
About SUEZ North America
SUEZ North America operates across all 50 states and Canada with 3,000 employees dedicated to environmental sustainability and smart and sustainable resource management. The company provides drinking water, wastewater and waste collection service to 6.7 million people on a daily basis; treats 560 million gallons of water and 460 million gallons of wastewater each day; delivers water treatment and advanced network solutions to 16,000 industrial and municipal sites; processes 160,000 tons of waste for recycling; rehabilitates and maintains water assets for more than 6,000 municipal and industrial customers; and manages $4.1 billion in total assets. The company posted revenues of $1.1 billion in 2018 and is a subsidiary of Paris-based SUEZ.
About SUEZ:
Since the end of the 19th century, SUEZ has built expertise aimed at helping people to constantly improve their quality of life by protecting their health and supporting economic growth. With an active presence on five continents, SUEZ and its 90,000 employees strive to preserve our environment’s natural capital: water, soil, and air. SUEZ provides innovative and resilient solutions in water management, waste recovery, site remediation and air treatment, optimizing municipalities’ and industries’ resource management through “smart” cities and improving their environmental and economic performance. The Group delivers sanitation services to 64 million people and produces 7.1 billion m3 of drinking water. SUEZ is also a contributor to economic growth, with more than 200,000 jobs created directly and indirectly on an annual basis, and a provider of new resources, with 4.2 million tons of secondary raw materials produced. By 2030, the Group is targeting 100% sustainable solutions, with a positive impact on our environment, health and climate. SUEZ generated total revenue of €18.0 billion in 2019.
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