How did a private company come to control a vital public service in this city? It began in 2012. Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority officials were staring down a hole of $780 million of debt, and they contracted French corporation Veolia to provide „interim management“ of the utility for a year. The company was tasked with studying where and how the PWSA could improve its bottom line, and then implementing changes – otherwise known as its „Peer Performance Solution“ business model.