EPA Awards Program

Hello - I'm Bruce Suchomel with EPA, and am the CWA O&M Awards Program Manager for our Region. Attached is a brief program summary and the 2006 application guidelines. (If a system is interested in applying early in the year they may use last year's guidelines, otherwise the '07 guidelines should be ready around the April time frame.) All applicants must forward their application to their respective State contact (UT - Kim Dyches)

Bruce Suchomel
USEPA Region 8 (P-W-TF)
1595 Wynkoop St.
Denver, CO 80202-1129
303-312-6001

National Wastewater Management Excellence Award Program
by Jim Tallent

Littleton/Englewood Wastewater Treatment Plant, Englewood, Colorado

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 Award Program to recognize outstanding O&M at publicly owned wastewater treatment facilities. With more than 16,000 publicly owned and 60,000 industrially owned wastewater treatment plants in the United States, the O&M Award Program is widely acclaimed as a way for EPA to honor plant personnel and local officials for their commitment to clean water. 

The first national O&M awards were presented in 1986. In 1988, the award program was expanded to include the Sludge Awards, recently renamed the Exemplary Biosolids Management Award. This new program recognizes outstanding biosolids operating projects, technology development, research activities and public acceptance efforts. The Pretreatment Excellence Award Program was added, in 1989, to recognize municipal implementation and enforcement of local pretreatment programs. A new award category, the "Most Improved Plant", was added to the O&M award program, in 1990. In 1991, the Storm Water Awards and the Combined Sewer Overflow Control Awards programs were added to recognize outstanding storm water management programs and projects.

National awards are presented at the Water Environment Federation (WEF) National Conference with WEF providing generous support for the awards program by cohosting the awards ceremony and by providing excellent coverage in its publications.

National Operations and Maintenance Excellence Award

The EPA National Operations and Maintenance Excellence Award program recognizes select wastewater treatment plants, programs or projects that have achieved outstanding compliance results and have demonstrated an exceptional technological achievement, method, or device in their waste treatment and pollution abatement programs.

State water pollution control agencies solicit nominations from wastewater treatment facilities in their respective State. After completing compliance screenings, the EPA Regional Offices use selection panels to choose facilities, which may receive annual Regional awards. These Regional winners then become eligible for national awards. Award nominations received from EPA Regional Offices undergo additional screening and are evaluated by a national panel based on EPA Headquarters issued criteria.

Winners are recognized in nine award categories: large, medium, and small advanced treatment plants; large, medium, and small secondary treatment plants; large and small nondischarging plants; and most improved plant. For the purpose of the awards program, small is defined as a design flow capacity of < 1 MGD, medium is 1 to 10 MGD, and large is >10 MGD, except in the nondischarging plant category where large is >1 MGD.

For US EPA Region 8 information, contact Anthony DeLoach at 303-312-6070 (deloach.anthony@epa.gov)

National Exemplary Biosolids Management Award

The EPA National Exemplary Biosolids Management Award program recognizes outstanding operational projects, research activities, technology development 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 soil and water resources. This award centers attention on the critical need to develop and implement management practices that use wastewater biosolids beneficially. For years, many municipalities, individuals and groups have worked to make significant contributions to the study and practice of environmentally safe use of municipal biosolids.

For US EPA Region 8 information, contact Bob Brobst at 303-312-6129 (brobst.bob@epa.gov)

National Pretreatment Program Excellence Award

The EPA also presents a National Pretreatment Program Excellence Award. This award is designed to recognize Publicly Owned Treatment Works (POTWs) for outstanding efforts in the control of industrial discharges through heightened public awareness and support for local wastewater treatmentrelated programs. Through their pretreatment efforts with local industry, POTWs achieve additional benefits such as improved biosolids quality and reduced risks to treatment plant worker health and safety.

Awards are given in three categories based on the number of Significant Industrial Users (SIUs). The selection of POTWs for the Pretreatment Program Excellence Award begins when EPA Headquarters solicits nominations from the 10 EPA Regions. Nominated POTWs are asked to complete an awards application. An Awards Review Committee comprised of pretreatment experts from EPA Headquarters, EPA Regions and States evaluates all aspects of the implementation of the nominee's pretreatment program. The committee also seeks to recognize innovations that are transferable to other cities' programs.

For EPA Region 8 information, contact Curt McCormick at 303-312-6377 (mccormick.curt@epa.gov)

National Storm Water Control Program Excellence Award

The Storm Water Control Program Excellence Award recognizes municipalities and industries that demonstrate their commitment to protect and improve the quality of the nation's waters by implementing outstanding, innovative and costeffective Storm Water control programs and projects. This award program heightens 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.

Awards are given in two categories: Municipal and Industrial Storm Water control programs and projects. The selection of award winners begins when EPA Headquarters solicits nominations from EPA Regional offices, States and territories. After an initial screening at EPA Headquarters, the nominees are asked to complete an awards application. The Awards Review Committee assesses these applications to evaluate the individual programs and projects.

National Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control Program Excellence Award

The National CSO Control Program Excellence Award recognizes 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 National CSO Control Program Excellence Award encourage public support of programs aimed at protecting the public's health and safety, the nation's water quality and heightens overall public awareness of CSO measures. Award selection is conducted in a fashion similar to the National Storm water Control Program Excellence Award.

For EPA Region 8 information on both these programs, contact Vern Berry at 303-312-6234 (berry.vern@epa.gov)

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