Award Winners
City of Norfolk Department of Utilities
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The City of Norfolk Department of Utilities enhanced product quality by changing coagulants at its largest water treatment plant, resulting in reduced turbidity, a 20 percent reduction in disinfection byproducts and elimination of a planned $50 million future capital expenditure. Through a “New Supervisor Academy,” the Virginia utility has increased capabilities of its employees and created new positions for succession planning.
City of Salem Public Works Department
2008 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance
The City of Salem Public Works Department flattened its rate slope and implemented a cycle of two-year rate increases to ease the financial impacts on customers through efforts to trim and delay capital projects and invest in high priority projects that significantly influence the system’s efficiency. The Oregon utility reduced per capita demand through an aggressive water conservation campaign and postponed the need for further expansion of water treatment and delivery systems.
Columbus Water Works
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Columbus Water Works (CWW) has planning vehicles in place to manage infrastructure, financial and customer requirements. A cross-section of staff members actively participate in six strategy teams, and all employees have incentives directly linked to both individual and agency performance. CWW works closely with state, regional and regulatory agencies and is committed to environmental stewardship of Georgia’s Middle Chattahoochee River Watershed.
Contra Costa Water District
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Contra Costa Water District is actively involved in water industry research and regulation development, providing leadership to strengthen the industry as a whole. Taking a leadership role in current California and federal processes to address issues in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, the District has provided expertise to identify projects that must be implemented immediately, long-term strategies for sustainability and funding sources for both.
District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority has been nationally recognized for operational and strategic excellence in information technology based on its water usage tracking and alert system that integrates its automated meter reading technology with a web-based program that lets customers track their water use and even alerts them of water usage spikes. The Authority’s customer service enhancements, coupled with its peer review research and career development programs, make it a recognized leader in the industry.
Fairfax Water
2008 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance
Fairfax Water provides water to one out of every five Virginians using public water. Through the use of ozonation and activated carbon filters, as well as other treatment practices, its water quality consistently surpasses all federal standards. The utility’s strategic planning process not only guarantees an active working document, but also insures a legacy of adequate water resources, financial soundness and environmental stability for the next generation.
Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority
2008 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance
The Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority has successfully implemented projects to improve water and effluent quality, enhance customer service, improve operational efficiency, produce quantifiable results, foster employee and community involvement, increase cost-effectiveness and support environmental stewardship. The utility became the first in the nation to privatize a U.S. Navy water system when Naval Facilities Engineering Command Southeast awarded a contract to operate and maintain six water systems at Naval Air Station Key West.
Green Bay Water Utility
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
At Green Bay Water Utility, annual depreciation dollars are dedicated to system upgrades, and a formalized asset management program helps prioritize those efforts. Through its rate structure, the utility will financially account for all of the foreseeable capital improvements throughout 2032. Major water users are a key component of the Green Bay economy, and through a high quality product and stabilized rates, the water system contributes to community sustainability.
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Through an effective water conservation program, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power has maintained the same level of city water use provided 25 years ago despite a population increase of one million people. It also developed a blueprint for meeting the city’s future water needs solely through water recycling and conservation. The utility exercises environmental stewardship through implementation of the Lower Owens River Project, one of the world’s largest river ecosystem restoration projects.
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) has master plans for its water and wastewater systems that recommend and prioritize $3.1 billion in project investments in infrastructure and equipment over the next 40 years. As demand for MWRA water continues to drop, the utility has pursued opportunities for regional cooperation and environmental remediation involving smaller neighboring communities facing unmet water resource needs.
Northern Kentucky Water District
2008 Platinum Award for Utility Excellence
The Northern Kentucky Water District (NKWD) implemented a water main relining program and rehabilitated more than 20 miles of mains, greatly reducing complaints of discolored water. The utility’s safety record was dramatically improved by increasing the emphasis on safety training and offering in-house training directly applicable to its workforce. In addition, by leveraging its workforce’s ideas and involvement, NKWD decreased both water treatment chemical expenditures and energy costs.
Prince William County Service Authority
2008 Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance
Cooperation and teamwork have become standard practice at the Prince William County Service Authority in Virginia, where the focus of business is on customers and meeting their needs. The utility’s staff has significantly improved its use of data to track progress and find opportunities for improvement. This advanced all areas of the Authority’s business, including product quality, risk management, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.