Woonsocket City Council Unanimously Selects Veolia to Rehabilitate Wastewater System Neglected by Prior Operator

Woonsocket, R.I. - Veolia, the world's leading provider of water and wastewater products and services, is now restoring the city's wastewater treatment plant after years of neglect under its prior operator, Jacobs Engineering. Members of the Woonsocket City Council unanimously voted to end Jacobs' contract and bring back Veolia, which had operated the plant until 2012, saying Veolia could restore the plant to regulatory compliance and address the many problems that had developed there.

"Woonsocket has learned that for services as vital as water and wastewater treatment, the cheapest option isn't always the best," said Public Works Director Steven D'Agostino. "We've been uncomfortable with this plant and its consequences for our quality of life in this city for years under the prior operator. Now we will be in a much better place with Veolia, a company we've had great experiences with and that we know we can rely on."

The wastewater treatment plant on the banks of the Blackstone River, right in the heart of Woonsocket, treats 9.3 million gallons per day of wastewater from Woonsocket and North Smithfield in Rhode Island, as well as Bellingham and Blackstone in Massachusetts. Veolia currently operates Woonsocket's wastewater collections system and its drinking water treatment plant, as well as the award-winning wastewater treatment facilities in Cranston, East Providence, Lincoln, Newport and Smithfield in Rhode Island. Across New England, Veolia brings new life to neglected infrastructure and upgrades equipment with its own digital systems, without relying on controversial technology partners to process municipal data.

"The idea is to get Veolia to come in there, step into [Jacobs'] shoes, run and operate the plant the way it should be run. We all have absolute confidence in Veolia's capabilities," said Woonsocket City Council Member James C. Cournoyer during a September Council meeting. "Great company, a lot of confidence in them - they'll come in, run it the right way. They'll help us make the assessments we need to make."

Restoring operational integrity

"Veolia is grateful for the opportunity to restore Woonsocket's wastewater treatment plant and provide environmental security to the entire region," said Joseph Tackett, CEO of North America Municipal Services for Veolia. "We are committed to the communities we serve by protecting public health, meeting rigorous regulatory standards and reinvigorating infrastructure that had been allowed to deteriorate. Returning to this role in Woonsocket is a testament to our record of performance and the dedication of our employees. We're proud to roll up our sleeves, get to work and restore Woonsocket's operations."

Veolia is now addressing deteriorated conditions in the wastewater treatment plant to restore its operational integrity, improve performance and ensure a safe environment for employees. An independent condition assessment performed for the city in August found a substantial backlog of regular cleaning, housekeeping and maintenance, leading to deficiencies in almost every major process area during Jacobs' operation.

"We have an exceptional track record in New England, where our operators routinely win awards for compliance from the Rhode Island Clean Water Association and other industry groups. That's the standard we set for ourselves, and that's the standard we're applying to the job of bringing Woonsocket's plant back to full compliance," said David Connors, East Regional President of Veolia Municipal Services. "Veolia personnel live and work in the communities we serve, which makes our performance personal and all the more passionate. We're here to protect this community and we're excited to get to work."

Veolia and Woonsocket agreed to an initial six-month contract to stabilize the plant and prepare a detailed plan for professional operations, capital improvements and odor control, with extensions available for another six months while a full three-year contract is developed.

Veolia's service to Woonsocket is an example of its GreenUp strategy to lead the ecological transformation of the planet by accelerating improvements in water quality, ensuring proper hazardous waste treatment and disposal, driving decarbonization, and encouraging technological innovation.