AECOM, a premier, fully integrated global infrastructure firm, announced that it has been awarded a five-year term $41.5-million program and construction management contract as part of the New York City (NYC) Department of Environmental Protection's (DEP's) Wastewater Resiliency Program (WRP).

The WRP is built on NYCDEP's Wastewater Resiliency Plan, which was released in October 2013 following Superstorm Sandy to prepare for the impacts of future storms. The plan provides a scientific analysis of severe weather events and identifies more than 500 construction projects to harden the city's wastewater facilities.

As part of this program, AECOM will provide program and construction management for the design and construction of $200 million in resiliency upgrades for the city's 14 wastewater treatment plants and more than 50 pumping stations located throughout its five boroughs.

“Remembering the damage that Superstorm Sandy inflicted on New York City, coupled with the predicted future increase of extreme weather and the well documented rising sea level, the need to make the city's infrastructure more resilient is critically important,” said AECOM's Paul Storella, vice president, NYC metro water business unit leader. “We are honored to work with the DEP and look forward to meeting its needs by delivering a program that aims to increase resiliency and, in turn, better protect the city's surrounding waters and public health.”

“The Department of Environmental Protection has put together an intelligent plan to make its wastewater infrastructure more resilient, and our team is very excited to partner with them and to bring AECOM's global expertise to this important New York City program,” said Chris Toomey, AECOM senior vice president and program director.

Work is expected to be complete in five years under the WRP program.