Moncton, New Brunswick

The challenge

Canada's first major drinking water public-private partnership has produced a state-of-the-art treatment facility, millions of dollars in savings and some of the best water in Canada. The decade-long relationship between Veolia North America and the city remains strong and viable.

The project challenges are:

• In 1998, Veolia signed a 20-year agreement with the City of Moncton for the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance (O&M) of a 25-MGD drinking water filtration facility and one pump station.
• When the plant was commissioned in 1999, Moncton purchased it and Veolia entered into a 20-year lease-and-license agreement with exclusive rights to sell water to the municipality, which comprises 117,000 residents.

The solution

Innovative solutions

• Provide Moncton state-of-the-art water treatment facility with no up-front capital investment and without having to assume risk for design, construction or performance
• Use Trident filters to reduce the facility's required size by 40%
• Remove turbidity color, iron, manganese and microbial contaminants as well as objectionable tastes and odors formerly associated with Moncton's water
• Conduct plant tours for school groups and the public

Benefits for our clients

Results:

• Consistently produced water with turbidity levels 30 times better than Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water
• Expected $12 million (CDN) in reduced capital costs and lower operating and maintenance costs over term of the agreement
• After four months, reduced trihalomethanes nearly 75% and chlorine consumption 70%, while survey concluded water quality had improved 100% in that short time
• Maintained record of no lost-time accidents since plant was commissioned in 1999
• ​Received 1998 National Award from Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships for Innovation and Excellence; plant designed received Honorable Mention for Infrastructure