AUSTIN, TEXAS, SEPT 18, 2018 -- The WateReuse Association recognized the best and the brightest in the water reuse sector during the Annual Awards for Excellence luncheon on Monday, September 10 during the 33rd Annual WateReuse Symposium in Austin, Texas. The awards program recognizes individuals, projects, and organizations that have made significant contributions in support of greater adoption of water reuse.
Among the award winners are:
Community Water Champion
The Community Water Champion Award recognizes utilities or local government entities that showcase exemplary water reuse projects, systems, or facilities that demonstrate the value of water reuse to the community served by them. The following Community Champion Awards were presented:
The City of Los Angeles, LA Sanitation developed the One Water LA 2040 Plan, a holistic and multi-agency approach that considers all water resources as "One Water" – including surface water, groundwater, potable water, wastewater, recycled water, dry-weather runoff, and stormwater.
The cities of Modesto and Turlock in collaboration with Del Puerto Water District established the North Valley Regional Recycled Water Programto deliver recycled water for agriculture in California's Central Valley.
A $9 million wastewater treatment plant expansion and 17 acres of constructed wetlands helped the City of Silverton, Oregon meet stringent regulations and create Oregon Garden,a 220-acre world-class botanical garden designed to further treat wastewater and revitalize the local tourism economy.
Transformational Innovation
The Transformational Innovation Award recognizes technological advances, research breakthroughs, and/or innovative practices that advance the adoption, implementation and/or public acceptance of recycled water. The following Transformational Innovation Awards were presented:
The Arizona Pure Water Brew Challenge brought together Arizona wastewater treatment facilities, a fully operational mobile advanced water purification facility, brewers, and the issuance of Arizona's first potable reuse permit for education and a contest for the best beer brewed with purified water.
The National Science Foundation and the University of Miami collaborated on an Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) project entitled "Design for Autonomous Net-Zero Water Buildings." They project developed an onsite recycling system that was successfully used in a dormitory for 12 months.
For a full list of awards and recipients, visit watereuse.org.