832K05005
vyEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
2005 National Clean Water Act
Recognition Awards Ceremony
Lawrence Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility
Lawrence, Kansas
1st place O&M Award, Large Secondary Plant
1st place, Biosolids Award, Small Operating Projects
The plant's outfall returns
treated water to the Kansas
River.
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United States
Environmental Protection Agency
2005 National Clean Water Act
Recognition Awards
Ceremony
Water Environment Federation Technical Exposition & Conference
Washington, D.C.
Monday, October 31,2005
US EPA National Awards Program Managers
Maria Campbell
Operations and Maintenance and
Overall Program Coordination
Robert Bastian
Biosolids Management
Jan Pickrel
Pretreatment Program
Bryan Rittenhouse
Stormwater Management
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The Program
Welcome
Larry Jaworski
Past-President
Water Environment Federation
Opening Remarks
and
Presentation of Awards
Benjamin H. Grumbles
Assistant Administrator for Water
U.S. EPA
Announcement of Award Recipients
Sheila Frace, Director
Municipal Support Division
U.S. EPA
Linda Boomazian, Director
Water Permits Division
U.S. EPA
National Awards Program Categories
Outstanding Operations and Maintenance
Exemplary Biosolids Management
Pretreatment Program Excellence
Stormwater Management Excellence
Following the ceremony, compliments of WEF, refreshments will be served in Room 207A.
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National Clean Water Act Recognition
Awards Program
History
The Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Clean Water Act (CWA) Recognition
Awards program began with the National Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Awards in 1985,
to recognize communities that have achieved outstanding O&M programs at publicly owned
wastewater treatment facilities. The program, authorized by Section 501(e) of the CWA,
presented the first national awards in 1986.
The O&M Awards program was an immediate success and was widely acclaimed as a way for
EPA to recognize plant personnel and local officials for their commitment to clean and safe
water. In 1988, the program was expanded to include Sludge Awards, now named Exemplary
Biosolids Management Awards. The awards recognize outstanding biosolids operating
projects, technology development, research, and public acceptance efforts. In 1989, the
Pretreatment Awards Program was added to recognize municipal implementation and
enforcement of local pretreatment programs. In 1990, a Most Improved Plant (MIP) category
was added to the O&M Awards program to highlight successful achievements made under the
EPA administered O&M technical assistance program, authorized by Section 104(g)(l) of the
CWA. The MIP Award recognizes the efforts of the plant operator, the town, and the operator
trainer who helped return the plant to compliance under a technical assistance program
designed to help small communities. In 1991, the Combined Sewer Overflow Control Awards
and the Stormwater Management Awards were added to recognize creative and cost-effective
wastewater management programs and projects.
A framework to implement the annual awards recognition program is at 40 Code of Federal
Regulations, part 105. The program currently has five awards categories with size- or facility-
based sub-categories for each.
To be eligible for a CWA Recognition Award, a wastewater facility, project or pollution
abatement program must:
• be in total compliance with all applicable water quality requirements, and otherwise
have a satisfactory record with respect to environmental quality;
• have written documentation as evidence of an outstanding technological achievement
or an innovative process, method or device demonstrated in the preceding year, which
resulted in environmental benefits, cost savings and/or public acceptance; and,
• be recommended by the State and/or EPA region.
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The Award Process
EPA headquarters issues annual guidance memoranda to administer each year's awards
process and to request nominations for the awards. Forms to apply for the awards program
categories are available at the State level, and in the EPA Regions. Candidates may be
nominated by EPA Regions, State water pollution control agencies, municipalities,
consultants, representatives of wastewater treatment facilities or other interested parties in
their State. After completing compliance screenings, the EPA Regional Offices use selection
panels to choose the facilities, projects or programs which may receive annual Regional
awards. These Regional winners then become eligible for national awards. Participation may
not be in all States or EPA Regions. Many State and Regional awards presentation
ceremonies are coordinated with local associations of the Water Environment Federation
(WEF).
Awards nominations received from EPA Regional Offices undergo additional screenings and
are evaluated by a selection panel of expert judges in the wastewater treatment industry.
Award winners' representatives are invited to attend the awards presentation ceremony where
they receive an inscribed plaque and other awards incentives. The awards recognize the staff
of these facilities and provide national recognition for their contributions to their community
and to the nation's goal of clean water.
Each year since the program's implementation, national awards have been presented annually
at the Water Environment Federation's Technical Exposition & Conference (WEFTEC).
There are over 16,000 publicly owned and 60,000 industrially owned wastewater treatment
plants in the United States, as well as facilities subject to National Pollutant Discharge and
Elimination System (NPDES) general permit coverage. The EPA's National Clean Water Act
Recognition Awards Program recognizes select wastewater treatment plants, programs or
projects which have achieved outstanding compliance results and have demonstrated an
exceptional technological achievement, method, or device in their waste treatment and
pollution abatement programs. Since the program's inception WEF has co-hosted the EPA's
awards ceremony and continues to provide excellent coverage in its publications. EPA
greatly appreciates the overall support WEF provides to make this awards program a success.
Details about EPA's Clean Water Act Recognition Awards program can be accessed through
the Internet at w w w. ep a. goy/owm.
We congratulate this year's national award winners, and encourage nominations of
commendable candidates for next year's Regional and National Clean Water Act Recognition
Awards.
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Outstanding Operations and Maintenance Awards Category
The Program
This is the twentieth year for the EPA's National Operations and Maintenance (O&M)
Awards that recognize plant personnel and local officials for innovative and outstanding
O&M activities at wastewater treatment facilities.
The Criteria
Treatment facilities are judged based on their achievements within the following areas:
• Automation • Laboratory Management
• Best Management Practices • Most Improved Plant
• Biosolids Handling and Disposal • Non-dischargers
• Collection System Controls • Personnel Training Programs
• Collection System Maintenance • Pollution Control and Field
Management Monitoring
• Compliance • Public Education
• Equipment Maintenance • Safety Education
Management • Septage Management
• Financial Management • Toxic Waste Controls
• Innovative O&M Practices
The Award Sub-Categories
Winners are recognized in nine award sub-categories: small, medium and large advanced
treatment plants; small, medium and large secondary treatment plants; small and large non-
discharging plants; and, Most Improved Plant (MIP). For the purpose of the awards program,
small is defined as a design flow capacity of less than one million gallons per day (mgd),
medium is one to 10 mgd, and large is greater than 10 mgd, except in the non-discharging
plant sub-category where large is greater than one mgd. hi 2005, not all sub-categories have a
second place winner. Also, there is no winner for the MIP. The 2005 National winners are:
Large Advanced Plant
1st Place: Durham Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility
Clean Water Services
Tigard, Oregon
*TIE*
Metro Wastewater Reclamation District
Denver Colorado
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Outstanding Operations and Maintenance Awards Category
Large Advanced Plant
2nd Place: Blue Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant
Metropolitan Council Environmental Services (MCES)
Shakopee, Minnesota
Medium Advanced Plant
1st Place: Mount Holly Water Pollution Control Facility
Mount Holly, New Jersey
*TIE*
Northwest Water Reclamation
Kennesaw, Georgia
2nd Place: Wheaton Sanitary District
Wheaton, Illinois
Small Advanced Plant
1st Place: Brownstown Wastewater Utility
Brownstown, Indiana
2nd Place: Village of Lima Wastewater Treatment Plant
Lima, New York
Large Secondary Plant
1st Place: Lawrence Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility
Lawrence, Kansas
Medium Secondary Plant
1st Place: Fountain Sanitation District
Fountain, Colorado
Small Secondary Plant
1st Place: Newington New Hampshire Wastewater Treatment Plant
Newington, New Hampshire
2nd Place: Town of Canton Water Pollution Control Facility
Canton, Connecticut
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Outstanding Operations and Maintenance Awards Category
Large Non-Discharging Plant
1st Place: North Conway Wastewater Treatment Facility
North Conway, Connecticut
Small Non-Discharging Plant
1st Place: South Blue River Wastewater Treatment Facility
Breckenridge Sanitation District
Breckenridge, Colorado
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Exemplary Biosolids Management Awards Category
The Program
The EPA's National Exemplary Biosolids Management Awards recognize outstanding
operational projects, research studies, technological advances, and public acceptance efforts
for promoting beneficial uses of municipal wastewater biosolids.
Innovative and widely applicable biosolids .techniques are vital to the nation's efforts to
protect and improve our land and water resources. These awards focus attention on the
critical need to develop and implement management practices that use wastewater biosolids
beneficially and that are environmentally safe, economical, and acceptable to the public. The
nomination process is very productive, even if the nominee is not selected as a winner, due to
the recognition and transfer of information that occurs.
For years, many municipalities, individuals and groups have worked to make significant
contributions to the study and practice of environmentally safe use and disposal of municipal
biosolids. This awards program recognizes their professional efforts.
The Award Sub-categories and Criteria
Candidates are evaluated using the following criteria:
Operating Projects
• Compliance with applicable Federal, State and local regulations
• Consistent, cost-effective operation
• Public acceptance of beneficial uses of biosolids
• Significant recycling/reuse of natural resources (e.g., nutrients, organic matter and
energy)
• Sustained (several years), full scale, proven operation
Technology Development Activities
• Operationally proven
• Resolved previous biosolids management or utilization problems
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Exemplary Biosolids Management Awards Category
• Sustained excellence in advancing our knowledge of technology (e.g., improved
design criteria or operational practice)
• Technology has potential for use in many areas of the country
Research Activities
• Greater public acceptability of biosolids beneficial use
• Greatly improves the understanding of the environmental effects of beneficial use of
biosolids
• Key information generated for development of improved biosolids regulations and
guidance
• Substantial contribution toward the development of improved design and operation
Public Acceptance Efforts
• Characterized by dedicated successful individual and team efforts
• Demonstrated increase in public acceptance
• Demonstrated willingness to share information and approaches for gaining public
acceptance
• Proactive approach for successfully working with such entities as the press and
cultivating and gaining allies to explain the benefits and diffuse alarmist stories that
might arise
• Program with excellent information transfer and training efforts that have made a
positive difference locally.
The 2005 National Biosolids award winners are:
Large Operating Projects (Greater than 5 dry tons per day)
1st Place: District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC WAS A)
Biosolids Management Program
Washington, D.C.
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Exemplary Biosolids Management Awards Category
Honorable Mention: Butler County Department of Environmental Services
Hamilton, Ohio
Small Operating Projects (Less than 5 dry tons per day)
1st Place: Lawrence Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility
Lawrence, Kansas
2nd Place: West Jackson County Land Application Facility
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Honorable Mention: Tri-Cities Regional Wastewater Authority
Veolia Water North America
Dayton, Ohio
Research Activities
1st Place: Dr. Ken Barbarick and Dr. Jim Ippolito
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, Colorado
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Pretreatment Program Excellence Awards
The Program
The EPA's Pretreatment Program Excellence Awards recognize publicly owned treatment
works (POTWs) with exemplary local pretreatment programs that reduce the risk of pass-
through of toxic pollutants and the operational interferences caused by toxic dischargers.
Through their pretreatment efforts with the local industry, POTWs achieve additional benefits
such as improved biosolids quality and reduced risks to treatment plant worker health and
safety.
The Criteria
POTWs are judged on their performance in the following areas:
• Enforcement
• Environmental Achievements
• Industrial User Monitoring
• Industrial User Permitting
• Innovations in Program Implementation
• Legal Authority
• Local Limits
• Public Outreach
The Award Sub-categories
The awards recognize POTWs for outstanding efforts in the control of industrial discharges
and to heighten overall public awareness of and support for these local wastewater treatment-
related programs. Awards are given in three sub-categories based on the number of
Significant Industrial Users (SIUs): 0-5 SIUs; 6-20 SIUs; and Greater than 20 SIUs. There is
no award in the 0-5 SIUs sub-category this year. The 2005 National award winners are:
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Pretreatment Program Excellence Awards
6-20SIUs:
Ist Place: City of Wilsonville Water Pollution Control Facility
Wilsonville, Oregon
2nd Place: Upper Merion Municipal Utility Authority
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania
Greater than 20 SIUs:
1st Place: Central Contra Costa Sanitary District
Martinez, California
2nd Place Broward County Water and Wastewater Services Utility
Compliance and Monitoring Industrial Pretreatment Program
Pompano Beach, Florida
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Stormwater Management Excellence Awards
The Program
The EPA's Stormwater Management Awards recognize municipalities and industries that are
demonstrating their commitment to protect and improve the quality of the nation's waters by
implementing outstanding, innovative and cost-effective Stormwater control programs and
projects. This awards program heightens overall public awareness of Stormwater measures
and encourages public support of programs aimed at protecting the public's health and safety
and the nation's water quality.
The Criteria
Nominees for the Stormwater Management Awards should be implementing innovative
Stormwater control programs or projects and be in compliance with all applicable regulatory
requirements, National Pollutant Discharge and Elimination System (NPDES) permits,
management plans and programs.
The Award Sub-categories
Awards are given in two categories: Municipal Stormwater control program and project; and
Industrial Stormwater control program or project. There is no winner in the municipal sub-
category this year. The 2005 National Stormwater Management Excellence Award winner is:
Industrial
1st Place: Northrup Grumman/Newport News/Continental Maritime of San Diego, Inc.
San Diego, California
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Combined Sewer Overflow Control Program Awards
The Program
These awards recognize municipalities which demonstrate their commitment to protect and
improve the quality of the nation's waters by implementing outstanding, innovative and cost-
effective Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control programs and projects. The CSO Control
Awards program heightens overall public awareness of CSO measures and encourages public
support of programs aimed at protecting public health, safety and the nation's water quality.
The Award Criteria
Nominees should be implementing programs consistent with EPA's 1994 CSO Control Policy,
and nominated programs should also be cost-effective, show an innovative approach to
planning, and where possible, have documented environmental benefits.
The Award Sub-category
The CSO Control award is presented in the municipal sub-category. No awards are presented
this year.
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For more information on the Clean Water Act Recognition Awards program visit
www.epa.gov/owm, and contact your State water pollution control agency, the U.S. EPA
offices or WEF at the following locations:
Region 1
Office of Ecosystem Protection
JFK Federal Building, One Congress Street
Boston, MA 02114-2023
(617)918-1764
Region 2
Division of Environmental Planning and
Protection, 290 Broadway
New York, NY 10007-1866
(212) 637-3836
Region 3
Water Protection Division
1650 Arch Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029
(215)814-5788
Region 4
Water Management Division
61 Forsyth Street
Atlanta, GA 30303-3104
(404) 562-9280 Ext. 29248
Region 5
Water Division (WQ-16J)
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604-3590
(312)353-5784
Region 6
Water Quality Protection Division
Fountain Place, 12th Floor, Suite 1200
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
(214)655-6525
Region 7
Water, Wetlands, & Pesticides Division
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
(913)551-7453
Region 8
Office of Partnerships & Regulatory Asst.
99918*80-661,8^16500
Denver, CO 80202-2466
(303)312-6280
Region 9
Water Division
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 744-1949
Region 10
Office of Water
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206)553-8575
Headquarters
Office of Wastewater Management
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (4204M)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 564-0628
The Water Environment Federation (WEF)
Attn: Technical Services
601 Wythe Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 684-2400
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water (4204M)
EPA832-K-05-005
October 2005
www.epa.gov/owm
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