Award Winners
Fort Collins Utilities
2015 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance
Fort Collins Utilities has put in place numerous processes for exceptional utility performance, starting with ISO Certification for Environmental Management for its water treatment facility. The water system benefits from a robust strategic financial planning process, an asset management program that includes infrastructure modeling and capital improvement planning, and use of a continuous improvement cycle. Customer satisfaction and stakeholder understanding efforts garner high grades. An extensive water rights portfolio ensures access to water in even the driest years and a rigorous testing program assures high-quality finished water.
Las Vegas Valley Water District
2015 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
In the past decade, the Las Vegas Valley Water District’s economic environment provided a catalyst for change and organizational redirection. Focus shifted from capital projects to keep up with demand to an emphasis on operations and maintenance. Investments were made to maintain the existing water delivery system, rather than expand it. The District became leaner and more efficient. A company-wide strategic planning effort led to process changes that provide for a more effective organization.
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department
2015 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award
Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department’s Water Use Efficiency Program improves management of traditional water supplies, encourages development of alternative water supplies and improves water use efficiency. The Department has an aggressive supply-side management water loss reduction program, including improvements in the distribution system, an aggressive leak detection program and advanced meter infrastructure. Its methane sequestration project increases self-generated electricity. An asset management system minimizes the total life cycle cost of its capital assets and a Capital Improvement Plan provides long-term funding to complete improvements. Its employee recognition program has produced more than $38 million in savings.
Prince William County Service Authority
2015 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award
Sustainability is reflected in Prince William County Service Authority’s strategic planning, business practices and educational outreach efforts. From pricing models and fee structures to customer engagement platforms, the Authority promotes wise use of water while securing its financial future with sound fiscal management. With environmentally friendly technologies and proactive maintenance, the Authority meets stringent regulatory requirements. It protects source waters and public health through meticulous planning, an exemplary workforce and agile responsiveness to its customers.
Riverside Public Utilities Department
2015 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award
Guided by a utility roadmap to the future, Riverside Public Utilities Department (RPU) has developed projects, such as its Solar Well Project, that help decrease its reliance on non-renewable resources. Other projects, like the North Riverside Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project, protect and improve local groundwater supplies. RPU serves as an integral part of its community through active participation in conservation, outreach and sustainable practices that engender community and stakeholder engagement and socially responsible initiatives.
Santa Rosa Water
2015 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award
Santa Rosa Water uses an integrated approach to manage the community’s water resources, enhance customer service and raise awareness about water-related issues. It helps customers conserve water, manages an extensive storm drain system and enhances the health of its watershed. The utility conducts in-depth rate setting processes, leads innovative efforts to conserve water and energy, consistently budgets capital improvements and reserve funds, beneficially reuses recycled water, and provides outreach, education and technical assistance to its customers.
Scottsdale Water
2015 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Prior to the early 1980s, Scottsdale Water relied 100 percent on groundwater for its drinking water supplies. Today, through strategic planning, innovation and community support, it has a diverse water portfolio with approximately 90 percent of its drinking water coming from renewable surface water supplies. The utility operates sophisticated indirect potable reuse facilities and recharges an average of 1.4 billion gallons of purified recycled water into the aquifer annually – pumping less groundwater out of the aquifer than it recharges back in since 2006.
South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority
2015 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority strategic plan sets a course to reduce costs and target inefficiencies. It developed a 10-year financial stability model, instituted workforce flexibility and succession planning, optimized operations to reduce costs and increase product quality, and made safety a strategic focus. The Authority maintains a customer satisfaction index of over 90 percent. It focuses on employee and leadership development; ensures operational resiliency and continuity of operations; contributes to regional sustainability; and provides efficient, sustainable capital planning and delivery.
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
2015 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) replaces its water mains at a rate of 55-plus miles per year and mitigates the potential damage of large-diameter pre-stressed, concrete cylinder pipe by using breakthrough acoustic fiber optics technology. The utility obtains 28 percent of its electric power needs from wind power and has solar power projects at two wastewater treatment plants. Its budget includes a ratepayer-supported Customer Assistance Program. A restructured debt program and transformed supply chain management saves WSSC tens of millions of dollars.
Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham
2015 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award
The Water Works Board of the City of Birmingham plans for future growth in the region to ensure the system is viable for future generations. To provide for long-term viability, the utility’s capital improvement plan averages $59 million each year, which supports system-wide infrastructure improvement and growth. A Rate Stabilization and Equalization approach helps ensure financial and economic stability with adequate operating, capital, debt service and reserve funds. A watershed protection policy, developed with stakeholder involvement, provides guidelines for development near its key water source.
Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority
2014 Sustainable Water Utility Management Award
Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority’s commitment to sustainable practices includes financial conservatism to safeguard customers’ trust and to protect its strong rating in the borrowing community. Its asset management program allows funds for needed upgrades as system demands increase, technology changes or regulatory requirements change. The utility consistently produces high quality drinking water, its staff works to protect source water quality and available quantity, and an extensive reclaimed water system allows reduced use of potable water as an irrigation source. The Authority plays a key role in promoting community economic development and, through local alliances and block grants, leverages funds to ensure critical water services are available to all areas of the community.
Chicago Department of Water Management
2014 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The Chicago Department of Water Management’s 10-year capital program includes 880 miles of water main replacement, converting three of its four pump stations from steam to electric and more than 200,000 meter installations. To continue to be resilient, resourceful and reliable, the Department is incorporating facility and security assessments, changing work rules, executing competitive contracts, and coordinating with other agencies, utilities and departments. It is continually training employees to ensure workplace safety, implementing creative and traditional funding to avoid overburdening future generations, and incorporating and optimizing timely, cost-effective, reliable and sustainable performance improvements in all aspects of its operations.