Tampa Bay Desalination Plant Achieves Performance Milestones

Tampa Bay Water and American Water-Acciona Agua hit 25 MGD for 4 months mark, 20 MGD for 12 months

CLEARWATER, Fla., Feb 26, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Tampa Bay Water, American Water /quotes/comstock/13*!awk/quotes/nls/awk (AWK 21.81, 0.00, 0.00%) , and Acciona Agua announced today that the Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination Facility, the largest seawater desalination plant in the U.S., has passed the final two performance milestone tests. The tests required the plant to produce 25 million gallons of water per day (MGD) for 120 consecutive days and also average 20 MGD for 12 consecutive months. Both milestones were successfully completed this February.

"The completion of the last of a series of operational milestones at the Tampa Bay Seawater Desalination facility is an achievement for all of the region's water customers," said Gerald Seeber, General Manager of Tampa Bay Water. "The Facility provides an important, drought-proof component to the region's water supply system and is a true example of a successful public-private partnership."

At 25 MGD, the plant provides about 10 percent of the Tampa Bay region's drinking water supply and is operated by American Water and Acciona Agua through the joint venture American Water -- Acciona Agua LLC. The desalination plant serves as a model that other coastal communities may consider as a practical and sustainable solution to ease their water challenges.

"American Water is pleased to be a partner with Tampa Bay Water and Acciona Agua in delivering such a significant water solution," said Don Correll, president and CEO of American Water. "This innovative plant meets the growing water needs of the Tampa Bay area and has produced more than 18 billion gallons of water for 2.5 million customers in the last two years."

Luis Castilla, President for ACCIONA Agua SA, stated, "The public-private partnership with Tampa Bay Water highlights our commitment to the Tampa Bay region that the facility can deliver."

As a result of passing the test, Tampa Bay Water will receive $31.25 million dollars from the Southwest Florida Water Management District, commonly known as SWFWMD. SWFWMD had pledged funds to help build the plant, but had required the plant to achieve four performance benchmarks prior to releasing all the funds.

Seawater desalination is a sustainable, drought-proof, environmentally sound source of drinking water. Groundwater from aquifers and surface water from rivers is already part of Tampa Bay Water's regional system, but seawater desalination was selected to add another element of diversity and drought-resistance to the region's water supply network.

Tampa Bay Water provides wholesale water to the public utility systems of Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties, as well as the cities of New Port Richey, St. Petersburg and Tampa, who in turn serve 2.5 million people in the Tampa Bay region. To learn more about Tampa Bay Water, please visit www.tampabaywater.org.

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest investor-owned U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 16 million people in 35 states and Ontario and Manitoba, Canada.

Based in Madrid, Spain, ACCIONA is one of Spain's leading business corporations with more than 35,000 employees around the world. The company operates in infrastructure, energy, water and services in more than thirty countries. As part of this group ACCIONA Agua is one of the largest water treatment companies in the world, with over 75 desalination facilities in design, construction, or operation on 5 continents and water services to more than 2.5 million people, including the largest reverse osmosis facilities in Spain, Australia, the UK, and the U.S. and recently has been awarded with the largest wastewater treatment plant in the world, located in Atotonilco, Mexico.

SOURCE: American Water and Tampa Bay Water and Acciona Agua