SUEZ Water Announces Layoffs
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowIndianapolis-based SUEZ Water Indiana LLC has announced it is laying off 179 employees. In a notice to the state, the company says the layoffs are the direct result of the expiration of an agreement to operate and maintain two wastewater treatment facilities with Citizens Energy Group in Indy.
SUEZ employs the workers at the Wastewater Treatment Center of Indianapolis. The company says the layoffs will take place between December 20 and December 31.
Citizens says it will take over direct operation and management of the wastewater system on January 1. Citizens spokesperson Sarah Holsapple says the utility plans to hire the "vast majority" of SUEZ employees and integrate them into the utility by the end of the year.
"Citizens’ wastewater functions, including the sanitary sewer system and wastewater treatment plants, have been operated by Suez under contract since Citizens acquired the wastewater system from the City in 2011," said Holsapple. "Suez has also operated and maintained the storm water system, which is owned by the City of Indianapolis. Insourcing the wastewater operations and maintenance functions will allow Citizens to take a more holistic approach to managing the utility and help control costs in the future."
According to parent SUEZ North America’s website, the company has been managing the long-term operation and maintenance of the two Indianapolis facilities since 1994.