2015 U.S. Water Prize Winners Announced
The U.S. Water Alliance (USWA) has revealed the three winners of its fifth-annual U.S. Water Prize for 2015.
For the past five years, the USWA has awarded organizations that strive to promote water health and one-water sustainability with its U.S. Water Prize. This year, these three organizations were awarded with the honor: the City of San Diego Public Utilities Department of California; Electric Power Research Institute of Palo Alto, California; and The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia.
"These are inspiring organizations," said Dick Champion, USWA Board of Directors chairman. "They are at the forefront of improving and protecting the health of U.S. watersheds. Through technology, collaboration and education, these organizations are driving the United States to a more sustainable water future."
The City of San Diego Public Utilities Department was recognized for its Water Purification Demonstration Project, which has developed standards for potable reuse. The project has also allowed the city to start “Pure Water San Diego”, a “20-year water reuse program to supply 83 million gallons of drinking water per day locally by 2035.”
The Electric Power Research Institute was awarded for establishing the world’s only interstate water quality trading project. The Ohio River Basin Trading Project uses a scientifically-based approach at reducing the amount of nutrient loads in the river waters and to also improve the regional water quality.
The Coca-Cola Company won the award for the progress of their goal to be water neutral by 2020. The company is safely returning water to communities and nature that has been used in the making of their beverages. To date, more than 60 percent of their water use in North America has been replenished.
Winners will be honored in an awards ceremony at National Geographic headquarters in Washington D.C., on Monday, April 13, 2015.