Tidewater Utilities Inc. has entered in an agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense for the privatization of the water system of Dover Air Force Base.
Tidewater, based in Dover, will provide the base water service under a 50-year agreement. Tidewater will integrate the base water system into its regulated utility operations, subject to Delaware Public Service Commission approval. Tidewater will own and maintain all DAFB water utility assets and make all necessary capital improvements.
The agreement is expected to immediately add to earnings once regulatory approvals are received.
Tidewater did not release details on the size of the base’s water utility. Tidewater is a part of New Jersey-based Co. It is one of three large privately owned water utilities in the state. The others are United Water (Suez) and Artesian Water.
Dover Air Force Base operates the largest and busiest air freight terminal in the Department of Defense system. It is home to the Air Mobility Command Museum, which welcomes thousands of visitors each year.
“Our company is extraordinarily proud to have a modest role in support of the mission of the 436th and 512th Airlift Wings at Dover Air Force Base, a premier U.S. military facility and, a neighbor to us in Dover,” said Dennis Doll, Middlesex CEO. “The community outreach by the Base over time has provided a humbling opportunity for us to understand firsthand, the incredible contributions and sacrifices made by the many military personnel and civilian employees on base, in support of our troops and their families,” added Doll.
Tidewater, established in 1964, provides service to retail water and wastewater customers and is the largest private water supplier south of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal Tidewater provides a range of water and wastewater services including consulting, contract operations and maintenance, and bulk water supply. For more information about Tidewater, visit www.tuiwater.com.
Middlesex Water Company is one of nine U.S. based publicly-traded investor-owned water and wastewater companies. The company provides regulated and unregulated water and wastewater utility services in New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.
