$43 Million In Drinking Water Investments Enhances Water Quality And System Resiliency For New Castle County Homes And Businesses

The Delaware Public Service Commission has approved an infrastructure investment plan for Veolia’s residential and commercial water customers in Delaware, confirming that Veolia’s plan provides substantial benefits to more than 100,000 people served in New Castle County.

Following a review of the $43 million plan that enhances customer water quality, service reliability, supply, safety and security, the Commission has set new rates for Veolia customers, which will go into effect starting April 1, 2024. The Commission has approved a net increase of 12.67% averaged across residential, commercial and industrial customers. As a result, the average residential bill will be increased by approximately 4.02% – the equivalent of 5 cents per day or $1.59 per month.

“Veolia is proud to serve its customers by continually updating the infrastructure they rely on and implementing operational efficiencies to save them money. We are pleased the Commission has recognized our commitment to our customers in New Castle County and validated our substantial investments on behalf of our Delaware customers,” said Larry Finnicum, Vice President and General Manager of Veolia’s Mid-Atlantic Division. 

Veolia has spent millions of dollars in the last three years to upgrade water mains, distribution lines, customer service lines and storage systems, as well as plant upgrades necessary to operate and maintain the system around the clock. Some of the most significant projects in the company’s plan include:

• Water Mains, Service Lines, Hydrants and Meters: Over $30 million to replace and install new water mains – the critical arteries of drinking water systems – as well as customer service lines and other essential infrastructure that will improve reliability, safety and billing accuracy.
• Storage and Distribution System: Over $7 million for additional water storage and the rehabilitation and replacement of reservoirs and tanks in the distribution system.
• Water Supply and Plant Upgrades: $6 million in plant and pumping upgrades to the Stanton Water Treatment Plant.

“Veolia is the world’s leader in helping communities provide water to their people, with the highest standards for water treatment, a demonstrated commitment to customer service and a strong emphasis on ensuring everyone has equitable access to water resources. We are devoted to this challenge here in Delaware, and our investment plan was designed to meet those goals with the full dedication of all Veolia’s resources.” said Karine Rougé, CEO of Veolia North America’s Municipal Water division. 

Financial Assistance Available

Veolia understands that some customers may be experiencing financial hardships and that water service is vital regardless of circumstance. That’s why we offer Veolia Cares, a water assistance program created by Veolia which provides relief to people facing temporary financial crisis. Customers who need assistance with paying their water bills can visit Veolia’s regional financial assistance partner, New Jersey SHARES, a local, independent, non-profit organization that administers Veolia Cares. New Jersey SHARES can be reached online at https://njshares.org/veolia-cares/  or by calling 888-942-8080.

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ABOUT VEOLIA NORTH AMERICA

A subsidiary of Veolia Group, Veolia North America (VNA) offers a full spectrum of water, waste and energy management services, including water and wastewater treatment, commercial and hazardous waste collection and disposal, energy consulting and resource recovery. VNA helps commercial, industrial, healthcare, higher education and municipality customers throughout North America. Headquartered in Boston, Mass., Veolia North America has more than 10,000 employees working at more than 350 locations across the continent.

www.veolianorthamerica.com 

ABOUT VEOLIA GROUP

Veolia’s ambition is to become the benchmark company for ecological transformation. With nearly 218,000 employees on five continents, the Group designs and deploys useful, practical solutions for managing water, waste and energy that help to radically change the world. Through its three complementary activities, Veolia contributes to developing access to resources, preserving available resources and renewing them. In 2023, the Veolia group served 113 million people with drinking water and 103 million with wastewater services, produced 42 terawatt-hours of energy and recovered 63 million metric tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE) generated consolidated sales of €45.3 billion in 2023. 

www.veolia.com