PHOENIX, AUGUST 22, 2016 -- EPCOR Water (USA) Inc. (EPCOR USA), a wholly owned subsidiary of EPCOR Utilities Inc. (EPCOR), today announced that it has acquired the 130 Pipeline Project (130 Pipeline), a 53-mile wholesale water supply pipeline that delivers groundwater from Burleson County to eastern Travis County in the northeastern Austin, Texas metropolitan area.
"This acquisition is a natural extension of our U.S. business platform and builds off of our expertise in developing and providing water solutions in some of North America’s most challenging arid environments," said Joe Gysel, President of EPCOR USA. "We are extremely pleased to be doing business in the state of Texas and look forward to developing and acquiring other similar businesses in the future."
EPCOR USA purchased the 130 Pipeline infrastructure and associated contracts and debt for total consideration of up to approximately USD $71 million, including future capacity-related payments.
The acquisition of the 130 Pipeline adds the state of Texas and wholesale water services to EPCOR USA’s business platform.
EPCOR owns and operates more than 3,200 miles of water distribution and sanitary collection mains and transmission pipe infrastructure across its 20 regulated water and wastewater districts in the United States. In Canada, the company is responsible for more than 2,420 miles of distribution and transmission water mains in the City of Edmonton, located in Alberta’s capital region. EPCOR also supplies wholesale water from its system to a vast regional network that serves over 290,000 people in more than 60 communities surrounding Edmonton.
"EPCOR has deep experience in water distribution and transmission development and operations. Leveraging that expertise for our U.S. business platform is a natural next step," Gysel noted.
Designed to deliver nearly 18 million gallons of water daily, the 130 Pipeline supplies private groundwater to municipal customers in Travis County (Texas) under long-term contracts. Additional wholesale water supply customers can be supported by the 130 Pipeline, which delivers water from the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer – one of the largest and most prolific aquifer systems in Texas – with a high degree of quality, reliability and resistance to drought.
The 130 Pipeline is the company’s seventh acquisition since entering the United States, bringing EPCOR USA’s total investment since 2011 to USD $736 million.
In 2011, the company acquired Chaparral City Water Company, followed by the 2012 acquisition of American Water’s Arizona and New Mexico assets and operations. In 2013, EPCOR USA acquired North Mohave Valley Corporation in Arizona and Thunder Mountain Water Company in New Mexico, as well as existing agreements and master-planning responsibilities to provide wastewater and recycled water services to a 7,000-acre development corridor in Glendale, Arizona. In 2016, it acquired Willow Valley Water Company in Arizona.
Today, EPCOR USA is among the largest private water utilities in the Southwest. In addition to providing wholesale water services in Texas, EPCOR is the largest regulated water utility in Arizona and New Mexico, providing water and wastewater services to more than 350,000 customers across 22 communities and seven counties.
