Offering myriad services for drinking water and wastewater treatment plants in the US and Caribbean, Consolidated Water is a leader in potable water production and distribution. Rick McTaggart, CEO, takes us on a deep dive into the company’s proud history and recent achievements.
DELIVERING WATER SOLUTIONS WORLDWIDE
Naturally occurring freshwater sources are steadily dwindling across the Caribbean and Southwest US, making it more imperative than ever for the public to have reliable access to fresh, potable water.
Consolidated Water accomplishes the task of providing water fit for consumption with more than 50 years of experience in developing, manufacturing, constructing, and operating water treatment, production, and distribution infrastructure.
Established in 1973 as a private water utility in the Cayman Islands, Consolidated Water has grown over the past half a century to become an international water provider, operating 10 desalination plants of various capacities across four countries.
“We excel at complex water treatment solutions that incorporate membrane-based systems, such as those used for desalination and advanced wastewater treatment,” introduces Consolidated Water CEO, Rick McTaggart.
“We are experts at purifying challenging source waters, including seawater and municipal wastewater.”
The company provides drinking water to approximately 8,000 water utility customers and three government-owned utilities, alongside providing design-build and operating services to more than 200 clients, including the US Navy and Air Force.
Consolidated Water’s senior management team boasts decades of experience in the industry and has nearly 300 highly trained and dedicated employees across four countries. The company has become a leader in designing, building, and operating highly efficient plants while forging long-term partnerships with its clients and stakeholders.
“We also design and manufacture a wide range of specialized products and systems applicable to desalination, municipal water treatment, and industrial and wastewater treatment,” adds McTaggart.
“Our products include reverse osmosis desalination membrane separation, and filtration equipment, piping systems, and vessels, as well as custom fabricated components.”
The company’s 30,000 square foot (sqft) manufacturing facility in Fort Pierce, Florida, holds all major ASME certifications for manufacturing steel tanks and piping. The facility’s ASME NQA-1 quality assurance certification allows it to manufacture water treatment components for the nuclear power industry.
50 YEARS OF CLEAN WATER
Consolidated Water has worked diligently throughout its extended history to become a leading developer and operator of advanced water supply and treatment plants, with many differentiating factors that distinguish it from the competition.
“We believe our highly efficient and aesthetically pleasing treatment plant designs, world-class operating and maintenance capabilities, and innovative project delivery models are all superior to others, providing us strong competitive advantages,” asserts McTaggart.
In combination with flourishing markets, these qualities represent strong drivers for growth, increased profitability, and further strengthening of shareholder value.
The company’s in-house manufacturing expertise and capabilities also provide a significant competitive advantage that can make a significant difference when bidding on new contracts across its business segments.
Some of Consolidated Water’s projects are not in response to a tender process but instead involve preparing and submitting a customized design report (CDR). Therefore, another important differentiating factor is the proprietary CDR process followed by its subsidiary, PERC Water Corporation (PERC).
“PERC’s CDR process provides a unique competitive advantage, as it affords our customers a reliable solution for their water problems at a guaranteed maximum price,” explains McTaggart.
“It results in the most cost-efficient methodology for addressing their need for water treatment and reuse.”
Along with Consolidated Water’s strong financial position, low-cost operating structure, and inherent synergies between its four operating segments, the company enjoys numerous competitive advantages as it pursues new opportunities in growing markets.
CONSOLIDATED WATER AT A GLANCE
- 50 years of experience
- 26 million gpd of potable water produced from 10 plants
- 31 water treatment facilities in operation
- Present in four countries around the world
A REFRESHING AND SPARKLING FUTURE
Consolidated Water recently completed a four million gallon per day (gpd) water recycling plant in Goodyear, Arizona, for its client, Liberty Utilities, which showcased the company’s dedication to continual progress and innovation.
“We designed, constructed, and commissioned this $82 million facility in just 25 months,” notes McTaggart.
“We received final approval from the regulator to operate the plant 42 days ahead of schedule.”
McTaggart looks forward to new projects that will make a difference in the energy and utilities industry. He believes Consolidated Water’s entrance into the US desalination market in Hawaii positions the company well for future opportunities emerging in the drought-stricken Western US.
As part of the company’s efforts to diversify its offerings, it formed a joint venture (JV) with two other membrane technology companies to pursue specialized high-value liquid separation projects using patent-pending technology developed by the partners.
“Over the last three quarters, we have developed product offerings, proposed several new projects, and have seen a great deal of interest in these products from various industries, including mining,” continues McTaggart.
“If we are successful in developing this business, we expect that it could have a significant positive impact on our future financial performance.”
As the industry continues to change and faces new challenges, Consolidated Water remains optimistic about its projected growth prospects for many reasons. This includes water sales growth in Grand Cayman, an ongoing design-build-operate project in Hawaii, robust bidding activity in the Western US, and design-build projects it expects to begin in 2025 and beyond.
CONSOLIDATED WATER’S GOALS AND STRATEGY
- Goals: The company provides complete design-build water solutions with a focus on delivering advanced water treatment services at a low lifecycle cost. It also designs, constructs, and operates highly efficient plants, leveraging the experience of its engineering and management teams. The company prioritizes forging long-term partnerships with clients and stakeholders.
- Strategy: The company provides design-build-operate services for drinking water and wastewater treatment plants in the US and the Caribbean. It also finances, owns, and operates water treatment plants in target Caribbean markets.
