Our company holds the first industrial water outsourcing agreement (Bethlehem Steel in 1950) and the first municipal public-private partnership for wastewater services (Burlingame, Calif., in 1972). In 1999, the company was owned by United States Filter Corporation and operated as USFilter Operating Services when it was acquired by Veolia Environment (known as Vivendi at that time.) Today, Veolia Environment is the world's largest environmental company, and globally, Veolia Water is the No. 1 provider of water services, serving more than 80 million people.