Established in 1995, United Water is the largest private water company operating in Australia and New Zealand, providing comprehensive water and wastewater services to almost 1.5 million people.
In Adelaide, South Australia, we have a 15.5 year contract with the State Government and SA Water to manage, maintain and operate the city's water and wastewater assets for the city's one million residents. This contract is still the largest water outsourcing contract in Australia.
Our responsibilities in Adelaide include six water treatment plants, five wastewater treatment plants, over 453,000 service connections, 9,900km of water mains and 7,000km of wastewater mains. We are also responsible for the management and operation of a customer call centre, receiving over 100,000 calls per year.
In Ballarat, Victoria, United Water has a 25 year operational contract with Thames Water to manage, maintain and operate two water treatment plants in Ballarat. We also have a 20 year contract with Thames Water to manage, maintain and operate water treatment facilities in the surrounding rural Central Highland area. Combined, United Water provides water services for approximately 100,000 people.
In Auckland, New Zealand, United Water has a 30 year franchise agreement with the Papakura District Council to provide water and wastewater services to 41,000 people in Papakura, Takanini and Drury. We manage, maintain and operate the District's water and wastewater network and the Drury Wastewater Treatment Plant. We are also responsible for the setting of tariffs and customer billing.
In Ruapehu, New Zealand, United Water has a management, maintenance and operations contract with the Ruapehu District Council, a rural region of approximately 15,000 residents located 320 km south of Auckland. Initially for two years, this contract has two four year extensions, making a potential contract length of 10 years. We are responsible for the management, operation and maintenance of the district's water and wastewater treatment plants plus the district's water, wastewater and stormwater pipe networks.
In March 2004, United Water was selected as the preferred tenderer by the Thames-Coromandel District Council in the north east of New Zealand to provide comprehensive water, wastewater and stormwater services in the District for a ten year period. The Thames-Coromandel District covers 2,250 square kilometres and has a residential population of approximately 25,000 people. However, during summer and vacation periods, this number can swell to 150,000 people.
United Water is responsible for the management, maintenance and operation of the District's water and wastewater treatment plants, and water, wastewater and stormwater networks.
In June 2004 United Water finalised the purchase of Anglian Water International (NZ) Limited and its "Clearwater Wellington" operations. On July 1, 2004, United Water commenced the management, maintenance and operation of the treatment facilities at Moa Point and Karori West, until October 2019. Management and operation of the city's wastewater pipe network remains the responsibility of the Wellington City Council.
United Water undertakes extensive research and development activities in both Australia and New Zealand to improve water and wastewater quality.
We are world leaders in research into water reuse, and a key partner in the global research and development network of our major international parent company, Veolia Water.
United Water is committed to the development and implementation of a quality assurance system, providing the basis for continuous improvement in our performance as a company.
In 1998, United Water was the first company in Australia operating Water and Wastewater treatment plants to achieve international certification to ISO 9001 for all core operations plus ISO 14001 for our wastewater treatment activities. In Adelaide, United Water has also achieved certification to health and safety standards ISO 4801.
