U.S. Water secures three-year contract extension for O&M of City of North Lauderdale’s Treatment Facilities
In January 2024, U.S. Water was successfully awarded a significant three-year contract extension for the continued water treatment operations, maintenance, customer service, and billing (O&M) services of the City of North Lauderdale’s water utility. The contract, valued at $2.01 million per year, reflects the ongoing success of the partnership.
The original contract was awarded in 2007 when the City selected U.S. Water in a competitive bidding process to provide complete O&M services. The contract includes 24-hours per day O&M of the lime softening water treatment plant, along with essential contract services, such as customer service functions, meter reading, field customer services, and bill collection. U.S. Water also assumes responsibility for preventive and corrective maintenance, as well as the procurement of all necessary chemicals for facility operations.
The City of North Lauderdale water treatment plant is designed for a capacity of 7.5 million gallons per day (MGD) and serves a population of 40,000 residents. Operating with three groundwater wells drawing from the Biscayne aquifer, the facility utilizes a lime softening process involving accelerators, multimedia filters, and a clear well where chloramines are produced for disinfection. The facility adheres to the compliance requirements set by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for the removal of hardness, iron, particulate matter, and bacteria, focusing on maintaining pH and chlorine residual within the specified standards.
Initially, the City hesitated to privatize the operations of its customer service functions. However, following a successful transition to U.S. Water for operations services, the City decided to extend privatization to customer service and billing functions as well. The current contract extension serves as a testament to the City’s satisfaction with the partnership and its choice to privatize essential aspects of its water management operations.
Upon commencement of the contract, U.S. Water conducted a thorough system condition assessment, reviewing the City’s administrative, operational, and customer service standards and policies to identify areas for improvement. This led to the implementation of a robust training program, equipment repairs or replacements, and strategic leveraging of vendor relationships for cost efficiencies on various treatment products.
In a notable project achievement, U.S. Water provided consulting and operational management during a $2.8 million plant upgrade, introducing a new SCADA system and replacing all electrical switchgear.
Since securing the water treatment operations contract, U.S. Water has achieved remarkable results, reducing operational costs by over $300,000 annually, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring continued compliance with water treatment standards. The system condition assessment carried out by U.S. Water continues to guide capital improvement and planning efforts. Impressively, 80% of the original staff acquired during the transition remain dedicated to the project.
U.S. Water remains committed to delivering excellence in water management services and looks forward to furthering its collaborative success with the City of North Lauderdale.
