The City of Moncton, New Brunswick, entered into a groundbreaking public-private partnership (P3) with Veolia to ensure safe, high-quality drinking water for its residents.
As the first large-scale drinking water P3 in Canada, the Moncton facility now serves over 150,000 people across three local communities, setting a benchmark for sustainable infrastructure and service excellence.
The challenge
In the 1990s, Moncton faced serious drinking water issues, including:
- High turbidity
- Unpleasant taste and odor
- Potential microbial contamination
Despite growing concerns, the city lacked both the upfront capital and risk appetite to develop a major infrastructure project independently.
Veolia's solution
In 1998, Moncton signed a 20-year agreement with Veolia to:
- Design, finance, build, operate, and maintain a 25 million-gallon-per-day (MGD) state of the art drinking water treatment plant and upgrade the existing pumping station
- Deliver a cost-neutral solution that placed no financial burden on the municipality
- Ensure consistent, high-quality water supply for a growing population
The facility, commissioned in 1999, integrated:
- Trident® filtration technology, the upflow clarifiers reduced the facility’s footprint by 40%
- Advanced treatment systems targeting turbidity, iron, manganese, colour, and odour
- Public engagement programs, including tours for schools, the Canadian Armed Forces, and community members—promoting transparency and education
Key Results and Benefits
Water Quality Improvements
- Turbidity reduced to levels 10x better than national standards
- 75% decrease in trihalomethanes and 70% reduction in chlorine use in the first four months
- 100% improvement in public perception of water quality, based on municipal surveys
Cost Efficiency and Safety
- $12 million CAD in projected savings over the contract duration through efficient operations
- Zero lost-time safety incidents since 1999, highlighting Veolia’s strong safety culture
Recognition and Continuity
- Winner of the 1998 National Award for Innovation and Excellence in Public-Private Partnerships
- Received honourable mention for infrastructure design
- In 2019 and again in 2024, Moncton extended Veolia’s O&M contract by five years, reinforcing a trusted, long-term partnership
- Planned initiatives include increasing onsite solar energy generation to offset energy use at the plant, energy efficiency monitoring as well as biodiversity projects in and around the operation.
We would like to congratulate Veolia on their remarkable safety record. The work carried out at the water treatment plant is absolutely vital for our community and we are pleased to be working with a partner who takes employee safety seriously.
- Nicole Taylor, Director, Water Supply and Treatment for the City of Moncton.