New Mexico City Again Chooses CH2M HILL OMI to Manage Water/Wastewater System

DENVER, 03 October 2007 — Council members in Farmington, N.M., have voted to extend the city's contract with CH2M HILL OMI for another eight years, allowing the company's experts to continue operating and maintaining the city's water and wastewater system.

The contract, signed Oct. 2, takes effect Jan. 1, 2008, and builds on an earlier agreement through which CH2M HILL OMI has served the city since January 2000. The company was unanimously selected in a competitive bidding process, which New Mexico state law requires cities to hold every eight years.

"CH2M HILL OMI people have established a history of delivering excellent customer service, responding immediately during emergencies and reducing the number of complaints—all key factors that helped Farmington choose to partner with us again," says Mark Lasswell, president of CH2M HILL OMI. "We will continue upholding the city"s trust in our work and building on our award-winning performance."

Since 2000, the company has earned several awards, including the 2006 Quality New Mexico Road Runner Award and the 2006 New Mexico Water and Wastewater Association Presidential Award. Most recently, the Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association, the region's professional association for the water and wastewater industry, recognized two CH2M HILL OMI employees in Farmington for outstanding results in wastewater analytical skills and industrial pretreatment.

Under the new contract, CH2M HILL OMI will continue managing Farmington's 10- and 20-million-gallon-per-day surface water filtration plants, four raw water pumping stations, 10 treated water pumping stations, 13 storage tanks, and about 340 miles of transmission and distribution grid. The wastewater system includes a 6.67-mgd wastewater plant, 15 lift stations, approximately 275 miles of gravity sewer mains, a stormwater system and an industrial pretreatment program.

Other renewals that CH2M HILL OMI secured this fall include contracts with two Florida cities, Quincy and Live Oak, which each signed 5-year O&M agreements with 5-year automatic renewals. In Quincy, CH2M HILL OMI has operated and maintained the city's water and wastewater plants and lift stations since 1994. In Live Oak, the company has managed the city's water and wastewater facilities since 1997 and provided public works services since 2005.

Clients in government and industry rely on the people of CH2M HILL OMI to provide a range of custom-tailored operations and maintenance solutions. The company's services include water and wastewater system optimization; contract O&M of water, wastewater and other utilities; and complete municipal operations, including administration, public works and community development—all backed by a commitment to safety, quality, innovation and customer service. Founded by CH2M HILL in 1980, the Denver-based company serves clients in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.omi.ch2mhill.com.