FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Cheryl Budzinski
Jan. 5, 2018 (309) 253-9594
DISCOVER HOW A CITY-OWNED WATER SYSTEM CAN BE RUN BY A PRIVATE COMPANY
PEORIA — With experience at more than 8,500 water systems, Veolia can offer valuable advice about public/private partnerships to steward the most valuable resource in Central Illinois: water.
Veolia’s Suresh Jambunathan and Margaret M. “Peg” Becker will speak at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 18. at Advanced Medical Transport, 1718 N. Sterling. Jambunathan is Director of Business Development for Commercial & Municipal Business for Veolia North American. Becker is Area Manager and Vice President of Operations with the Municipal and Commercial operations group of Veolia in the Central region.
Serving more than 550 communities in North America, Veolia treats more than 2.2 billion gallons of water and wastewater daily. Jambunathan and Becker will explain the ways such a public/private partnership is commonly set up, and answer questions submitted by the audience.
This session is one in a series of public education meetings hosted by the League of Women Voters of Greater Peoria regarding the best use of water. The event is free and the public is invited.
After more than a year of study, the LWVGP voted unanimously in May 2017 to support the City of Peoria pursuing due diligence toward possible purchase of the water utility, which is currently operated by Illinois American Water Co.
A key question raised during public meetings was: How would the city run a water distribution system? One model is for the city to own the system and hire a company to run it. Veolia’s experience traces back to the first such partnership in 1853.
The League is a non-partisan, issues-oriented, volunteer, member-directed organization committed to open, responsive and effective government brought about by informed, involved citizens with membership open to both men and women in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford counties. For more information, go to www.lwvgp.org.