EPA Recognizes Outstanding Wastewater Achievers at WEFTEC.05®
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized municipalities and industries for outstanding and innovative technological achievements in wastewater treatment and pollution abatement programs at the annual Clean Water Act Recognition Awards ceremony at the WEFTEC.05® in Washington, DC on Monday, Oct. 31.
An inscribed plaque will be presented to first and second place national winners for projects and programs in operations and maintenance at wastewater treatment facilities, biosolids management, pretreatment and stormwater management. This action also announces the 2005 national awards winners.
Clean Water Act Recognition Awards are authorized by section 501(a) and (e) of the Clean Water Act, and 33 U.S.C. 1361(a) and (e). Applications and nominations for the national award must be recommended by EPA regions. A regulation establishes a framework for the annual recognition awards program at 40 CFR part 105. EPA announced the availability of application and nomination information for this year's awards (70 FR 18396, April 11, 2005).
The awards program provides national recognition and encourages public support of programs aimed at protecting the public's health and safety and the nation's water quality. State water pollution control agencies and EPA regional offices make recommendations to headquarters for the national awards.
Programs and projects being recognized are in compliance with applicable water quality requirements and have a satisfactory record with respect to environmental quality municipalities and industries are recognized for their demonstrated achievements in the following awards categories: (1) Outstanding operations and maintenance practices at wastewater treatment facilities; (2) Exemplary biosolids management projects, technology/innovation or development activities, research and public acceptance efforts; (3) Outstanding municipal implementation and enforcement of local pretreatment programs; (4) Implementing outstanding, innovative, and cost-effective stormwater control. The winners of the EPA's 2005 National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards are listed on the agency's Web site at www.epa.gov18.
This article originally appeared in the 11/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.