NWI CEO Tom Pertuit, APG Parish President Clint Cointment ink the deal.
Parish President Clint Cointment Thursday signed the transfer of assets of the sewer treatment system, marking a significant milestone in resolving the longstanding sewer infrastructure issue in Ascension Parish. National Water Infrastructure (NWI) has acquired the Parish’s sewer system for $9.2 million, solidifying a partnership that began as a franchise agreement in 2021 under a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA).
“Ensuring clean water has been a top priority for this administration,” remarked Parish President Clint Cointment. “Today’s milestone brings us closer to achieving cleaner waterways, healthier ditches, and improved canals. It underscores our longstanding commitment to this vital goal. This is a huge first step.”
The sale to NWI was approved by a majority vote of the people in Ascension Parish in April 2021 and subsequently sanctioned by the Ascension Parish Council in July of the same year. The agreement between NWI and Ascension Parish Government has been finalized, initiating the Ascension Parish Regionalization Project (APRP).
The APRP represents a groundbreaking initiative to address challenges posed by the Parish’s sewer infrastructure, which consists of disparate package treatment plants. Under the agreement, NWI will construct and operate a new regional sewer treatment plant located in the Parish’s industrial area, consolidating over 75 collection systems and permanently removing 70 permitted treatment plants from the Parish’s environmentally strained waterways.
Upon completion of Phase 1 of the project, over 3.5 Million Gallons Per Day (MGD) of sewer discharge will be removed from local ditches and waterways, significantly improving the area’s water quality. Notably, the APRP requires no investment by the Parish and will result in substantial savings. NWI will directly invest more than $185 million to build, operate, and maintain sewer infrastructure and will pay the Parish a purchase price of $9.26 million.
“NWI is proud to finalize this purchase and start delivering on our investment in building a modern consolidated sewer system for Ascension Parish, ultimately improving the local waterways and offering enhanced system operations for decades to come,” said Tom Pertuit, CEO of National Water Infrastructure. “As a Bernhard Capital Partners portfolio company, we have assembled a world-class team to implement this project, and we are committed to excellent customer service and keeping the community apprised of our progress. This represents a solution to a longstanding
problem and an investment in the long-term sustainability and growth of our community.”
The project will benefit the environment and the community, with Ascension Parish public schools set to benefit from the sewer capacity provided by the APRP. Ten existing schools will have access to the system, with five being tied in upon project completion, resulting in the permanent removal of sewer treatment plants and discharges on these school grounds.
The APRP is poised to generate over $4.1 million in annual savings for the Parish, with long-term projections indicating a gain of $73.2 million over the next 30 years without any increase in taxes.
Loading ...