United Water's Lake Deforest Treatment Plant receives ISO 14001 and 9001 certifications for environmental and quality management

United Water officials announced today that the company’s Lake DeForest Water Treatment Plant in West Nyack, NY, recently received the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14001: 2004 and 9001: 2008 certifications, demonstrating that the plant’s environmental and quality management systems meet stringent international standards.

“After an extensive review by independent auditors, our Lake DeForest Water Treatment Plant was certified as meeting or exceeding ISO’s demanding international standards,” said Bob Iacullo, president of United Water. “Receiving these certifications reflects significant achievements in environmental stewardship and quality management.  ISO certification underscores United Water’s commitment to providing its customers with high-quality, reliable drinking water while also protecting the environment.”
The ISO 14001: 2004 certification recognizes United Water’s achievements in adopting an effective Environmental Management System aimed at minimizing impacts on the environment. To achieve the certification, the company demonstrated, among other things, its implementation of an Environmental Charter that sets forth key environmental objectives and targets, as well as operational, communication and emergency response procedures at Lake DeForest.  
“United Water has long invested in the sustainability of the communities we serve. We are proud of our history to protect and preserve the environment. This certification will help to guide our continuing effort in environmental stewardship,” said Iacullo.
The ISO 9001: 2008 certification acknowledges United Water’s achievements in adopting an effective Quality Management System for the plant by demonstrating the development of a quality policy, the implementation of formal procedures and controls to ensure quality, the calibration of monitoring equipment to national or international standards and the formal assessment of customer needs.
“Quality management is an equally important and core goal of our organization. Meeting stringent standards are part of our mission to provide our customers with high-quality drinking water, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” said Iacullo.
In order to maintain both certifications the company must further demonstrate documents and record control, implement competence and training programs, undergo an annual independent audit, perform a management review and strive for continuous improvement.
“The ISO program is part of that improvement process because it requires us to continually review our practices to identify ways to get better,” Iacullo said. “We’re constantly evolving. As one of the very few water treatment facilities in the nation to receive these prestigious certifications, our customers can have further assurance of our dedication to the environment and the communities we serve.” 

ISO (International Organization for Standardization), the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards, is a network of the national standards institutes of 163 countries, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland that coordinates the system.

About United Water
United Water is one of the nation’s leading environmental companies, providing water and wastewater services to approximately 7 million people in the United States. In addition to owning and operating 20 water utilities, the company operates more than 200 municipal and industrial water and wastewater systems through innovative public-private partnerships and contract agreements. United Water’s affiliate, Utility Service Company, is the nation’s leading provider of long-term asset management contracts for water storage facilities with municipal and industrial clients. Founded in 1869, United Water is a subsidiary of SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT.

About SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT
Natural resources are not infinite. Each day, SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT (Paris: SEV, Brussels: SEVB) and its subsidiaries deal with the challenge to protect resources by providing innovative solutions to industries and to millions of people. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT supplies drinking water to 91 million people, provides wastewater treatment services for 61 million people and collects the waste produced by 50 million people. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT has 79,554 employees and, with its presence on a global scale, is the world’s leader exclusively dedicated to environmental services. SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, a 35.4% GDF SUEZ affiliate, reported sales turnover of 13.9 billion Euros ($18.5 billion USD) at the end of financial year 2010.