HOUSTON, Texas, April 10, 2001 — Synagro Technologies Inc., one of the country's leading independent, full service providers of residuals management services, announced today that the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners awarded to Synagro a contract to design, build and operate a biosolids heat drying/pelletization facility providing service for two wastewater treatment plants.
The contract provides for an initial term of 10 years with an option to renew for an additional 10 years. Based on the agreed upon terms, Synagro can generate revenues between $20-$40 million over the life of the contract.
The public/private partnership created by this contract provides Pinellas County and its residents a 20-year solution to their biosolids management needs. Synagro is teamed with Andritz-Ruthner Inc., King Engineering Associates and Danis Environmental Industries for the construction of the facility at the County's South Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility. Andritz-Ruthner is the industry leader in heat drying/pelletization technology, with over 55 facilities worldwide. Danis and King Engineering Associates will lend local expertise to the construction and permitting of the facilities.
The facility is expected to be operational in late 2002 and will process 9,000 dry tons of biosolids annually from the County's South Cross Bayou and William E. Dunn Water Reclamation facilities. The facility will convert dewatered biosolids into a Class A fertilizer product, which will be marketed by Synagro in Florida. Synagro currently markets over 150,000 tons of Class A pelletized biosolids annually worldwide.
"Pinellas County Utilities is very pleased to put into place the final piece required to achieve total recycling of its wastewater at the $100 million upgrade to our South Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility," said the Director of Utilities for Pinellas County Pick Talley. "The addition of the privatized sludge pelletizing operation being undertaken by Synagro will mean that all of the wastewater coming into the plant will be recycled. This includes reuse of all the 30 million gallons per day of reclaimed water, the methane gas generated during the digestion process that will fuel the sludge drying operation, and the solids product sold to the local Florida fertilizer market. This step will make the South Cross Bayou Water Reclamation Facility one of the most sophisticated wastewater facilities in the country. The social value of total recycling will make the plant a focal point of environmental education for the Pinellas County community of over one million people."
Synagro's Chief Executive Officer, Ross M. Patten, stated, "We are very excited to be part of this important project for the residents of Pinellas County. This project will incorporate the most environmentally and technically advanced processing technology in the world. We look forward to the start-up of the facility next year and to being a contributing member of the local community. I want to thank Mr. Talley and the Pinellas County Commissioners for awarding this important project to Synagro."
Synagro is the fastest growing company focused on organic residuals management services, and has operations located throughout the country. In addition to pursuing acquisitions in key markets, the company is positioning itself as the national provider of biosolids services to municipalities and wastewater privatization projects throughout North America.
