Mayors Select Schenectady and Veolia for Public-Private Partnerships Award
The city and the company, operating under a long-term contract, have developed a successful biosolids program and made significant wastewater treatment plant improvements.
The city of Schenectady, N.Y., and Veolia Water North America received the 2011 Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships Award from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more.
The two won recognition for their partnership’s successful biosolids program and significant operational improvements at the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
Operating under a long-term partnership contract with the city, Veolia Water has management and operational responsibility for the 15 dry-tons-per-day in-vessel compost facilities and product marketing, as well as its 18.5 million-gallons-per-day rotating biological contactor wastewater treatment plant, eight pump stations, and septage receiving and industrial pretreatment program.
"Since entering into our partnership with Veolia Water North America in 1991, the relationship has been nothing but positive," said Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton. “Veolia’s global expertise helps identify capital needs within the city’s system and helps us address the things that are most vital to the operation and safety of the facilities.”
Veolia Water is working on such projects as the implementation of an Underground Asset Management (UGAM) program to reduce the city’s costs by extending the life of its assets and a co-generation program and drying system that leverages the company’s Capital Program Management (CPM) and Technical Groups. The co-generation project is expected to reduce the plant’s electrical consumption and the drying system will reduce the composting facility’s carbon footprint, both beneficial environmental upgrades.
The Public-Private Partnership awards were established to encourage businesses and cities to work together to improve local communities. An independent panel of judges reviews the submissions and the criteria upon which its selections are made, including improved delivery of services; replicability; sustainability; cost savings; creativity of approach; benefits to both public and private partners; economic and business benefits and measurable results.