2002 National Clean Water Act
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Environmental Protection |
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United States
Environmental Protection Agency
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2002 National Clean Water Act
Recognition Awards
Ceremony
Water Environment Federation Technical Exposition & Conference
Chicago, Illinois
Monday, September 30, 2002
US EPA National Awards Program Managers
Maria Campbell, Operations and Maintenance Awards
John Walker, Biosolids Management Awards
Patricia Campbell, Pretreatment Awards
Wendy Bell, Storm Water Management Awards
Tim Dwyer, Combined Sewer Overflow Control Awards
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The Program
Welcome
Joe Stowe Jr.
Past-President
Water Environment Federation
Opening Remarks
and
Presentation of Awards
Benjamin Grumbles, Deputy Assistant
Administrator for Water
U.S. EPA
Announcement of Award Recipients
James A. Hanlon, Director
Office of Wastewater Management
U.S. EPA
National Award Recipients
Operations and Maintenance Awards
Biosolids Management Awards
Pretreatment Program Awards
Storm Water Management Awards
Combined Sewer Overflow Program Awards
Following the ceremony, compliments of WEF, refreshments will be served in Room S406A.
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National Clean Water Act Recognition
Awards Programs
History
In 1985, by authority of Section 501(e) of the Clean Water Act, the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) initiated an annual National Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Excellence Awards Program to
recognize outstanding O&M at publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities. The first national awards
were presented in 1986. The O&M Awards Program was an immediate success and was widely acclaimed
as a way for EPA to honor plant personnel and local officials for their commitment to clean water.
Due to that success, the awards program was expanded in 1988 to include Sludge Awards, now referred to
as Biosolids Exemplary Management Awards to recognize outstanding biosolids operating projects,
technology development, and research, and later public acceptance efforts. In 1989, the Pretreatment
Excellence Awards Program was added to recognize municipal implementation and enforcement of local
pretreatment programs. In 1990, a new awards category for Most Improved Plant was added to the O&M
awards program to recognize 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 Storm Water Management
Awards programs were added to recognize outstanding wastewater management programs and projects. In
2002, EPA issued a rule, 40 CFR Part 105, establishing a framework to implement these awards
recognition programs as the Clean Water Act Recognition Awards (formerly the National Wastewater
Management Excellence Awards).
To be eligible for a CWA Recognition award, a 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; and,
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.
be recommended by the State and/or EPA region.
The Awards Process
EPA headquarters issues annual guidance memoranda to administer each year's awards process and to
request nominations for the awards programs. Forms to apply for the five awards program categories are
available at the State level, and can be obtained through the Internet at www.epa.gov/owm. Candidates
may be nominated by EPA Regions, State water pollution control agencies, municipalities, consultants,
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
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presentation ceremonies are coordinated with local associations of 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 are invited to
attend the presentation ceremony where they may receive flags, plaques and certificates. 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 initiation, national awards have been presented annually at the Water
Environment Federation's Technical Exposition & Conference (WEFTEC). There are more than 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 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. Award winners' representatives are invited to attend this awards presentation ceremony. WEF
has provided generous support for the awards program by co-hosting the awards ceremony and by
providing excellent coverage in its publications. EPA is grateful to WEF for its continued help in making this
awards program a success.
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Operations and Maintenance Excellence Awards
The Program
This is the seventeenth year for the EPA's National Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Excellence
Awards program that recognizes plant personnel and local officials for innovative and outstanding O&M
activities at publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities.
The Award Categories
Winners are recognized in nine award categories: small, medium and large secondary treatment plants; small,
medium and large advanced treatment plants; small and large non-discharging plants; and most improved
plant. 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 category where large is greater than one mgd.
The "Most Improved Plant" category, a favorite of the O&M program, recognizes extraordinary efforts by
treatment plant personnel, local officials, and the onsite operator trainer to return a facility to compliance
under a technical assistance program authorized by Section 104(g)(l) of the Clean Water Act. There are
no awards in this category this year.
The Criteria
Treatment facilities are judged based on their achievements within the following areas:
Automation
Best Management Practices
Biosolids Handling and Disposal
Collection System Controls
Collection System Maintenance
Management
Compliance
Equipment Maintenance
Management
Financial Management
Innovative O&M Practices
Laboratory Management
Most Improved Plant
Non-dischargers
• Personnel Training Programs
• Pollution Control and Field
Monitoring
• Public Education
• Safety Education
• Septage Management
• Toxic Waste Controls
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2002 National Operations and Maintenance Excellence Awards Winners by Category
Small Advanced Plant
1st Place: South Berwick Sewer District
South Berwick, Maine
2nd Place: Town of Gorham Wastewater Treatment Plant
Gorham, New York
Medium Advanced Plant
1st Place: City of Louisville Wastewater Treatment Plant
Louisville, Colorado
2nd Place: Dale Mabry Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
Tampa, Florida
Large Advanced Plant
1st Place: City of Dallas (Southside) Wastewater Treatment Plant
Dallas, Texas
2nd Place: Lancaster Area Sewer Authority
Susquehanna Water Pollution Control Facility
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Small Secondary Plant
1st Place: Village of Amherst Wastewater Treatment Facility
Amherst, Wisconsin
2nd Place: City of Lineville Sanitary Sewage Treatment Plant
Lineville, Iowa
Medium Secondary Plant
1st Place: City of Hamilton Wastewater Treatment Plant
Hamilton, Montana
2nd Place: Escatawpa Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant
Moss Point, Mississippi
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Large Secondary Plant
1st Place: Passaic Valley Sewerage Commissioners
Newark, New Jersey
2nd Place: Evansville Eastside Treatment Facility
Evansville, Indiana
Large Non-Discharging
1st Place: Selma-Kingsburg-Fowler County Sanitation District
Kingsburg, California
2nd Place: City of Sturgis Wastewater Treatment Facility
Sturgis, South Dakota
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Biosolids Exemplary Management Awards
The Program
This is the fifteenth year of the EPA's National Biosolids Exemplary Management Awards program that
recognizes outstanding operational projects, research studies, technological advances, and public
acceptance efforts for promoting beneficial uses of municipal wastewater biosolids. EPA presents national
awards and may present regional awards.
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 fo municipal biosolids. This awards program
recognizes their professional efforts. We congratulate this year's award winners, and encourage nominations
of commendable candidates for next year's regional and national Exemplary Biosolids Management award
programs.
The Award Categories and Criteria
The Biosolids Exemplary Management award candidates are evaluated using the following criteria:
For Operating Projects
Two Categories: 1) Less Than or Equal to 5 dry tons/per day; 2) Greater than 5 dry tons/per day
• 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
This year, there is a tie for second place in the large operating projects category.
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For Technology Development Activities
• Operationally proven
• Resolved previous biosolids management or utilization problems
• 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
For 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
For Public Acceptance Efforts
Two Categories: 1) Municipal; and, 2) All Others
• 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
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2002 National Biosolids Exemplary Management Awards Winners by Category
Operating Projects Large
1st Place: Merrimack, Wastewater Treatment Facility
Merrimack, New Hampshire
2nd Places: Roanoke Regional Water Pollution Control Plant
Roanoke, Virginia, and
City of Largo, Wastewater Reclamation Facility
Clearwater, Florida
Operating Projects Small
1st Place: City of Hood River Wastewater Treatment Plant
Hood River, Oregon
2nd Place: Lower Colorado River Authority
Burnet, Texas
Honorable Mention: City of Port Huron Wastewater Treatment Plant
Port Huron, Michigan
Public Acceptance:
1st Place: WNET, PBS Affiliate Television Station
New York, NY. and US EPA Region HI, Water Protection Division
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards
Outstanding Pretreatment Program Awards
The Program
This is the fourteenth year of the EPA's Outstanding Pretreatment Program Awards. The 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 Outstanding Pretreatment Program 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.
The Award 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 Categories
Awards are given in three categories based on the number of Significant Industrial Users (SIUs): 0-25
SIUs; 26-100 SIUs; and greater than 100 SIUs.
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2002 National Outstanding Pretreatment Program Awards Winners by Category
100 and greater SIUs:
1st Place: Subregional Operating Group (SROG)
Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale and
Tempe, Arizona
2nd Place: San Antonio Water System
San Antonio, Texas
26-100 SIUs:
1st Place: Chesterfield County Utilities Department
Chesterfield, Virginia
2nd Place: Palo Alto Regional Water Quality Control Plant
Palo Alto, California
0-25 SIUs:
1st Place: Texarkana Water Utilities
Texarkana, Texas
2nd Place: City of Bangor Wastewater Treatment Plant
Bangor, Maine
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Outstanding Storm Water Management Program Awards
The Program
The Storm Water Management Program 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 Storm Water control programs and projects. This awards
program heightens overall public awareness of storm water measures and encourages public support of
programs aimed at protecting the public's health and safety and the nation's water quality.
The Award Categories
Awards are given in two categories: Municipal Storm Water control program and project; and Industrial
Storm Water control program or project. There is no national winner in the industrial category.
The 2002 national winners are in the municipal category as follows:
1st Place: Greater Battle Creek Area Watershed Management Project
Battle Creek, Springfield and Calhoun County, Michigan
2nd Place: Jefferson Parish Department of Environmental Affairs
Jefferson, Louisiana
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National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards Program
Combined Sewer Overflow Control Program Awards
The Program
This is the twelfth year for EPA's Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Awards Program. The
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 CSO 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 and safety and the nation's water quality.
This year there are two first place winners for the National CSO Awards Program as follows:
Lincoln Sanitary District
Lincoln, Maine
Sanitary District of Michigan City
Michigan City, Indiana
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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, New York 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
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, Illinois 60604-3507
(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 and Regulatory Asst.
999 18th Street, Suite 500
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 Ave, 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-02-001
www.epa.gov/owm
September 2002
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