DEP Announces 2006 Plant Operations Excellence Awards

TALLAHASSEE - The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Division of Water Resource Management presented awards to five public drinking water systems and nine domestic wastewater facilities from around the state at the annual Plant Operations Excellence Awards ceremony held recently Tallahassee.

“Drinking water and wastewater facilities are on the front lines of public health and environmental protection in Florida,” said DEP Secretary Colleen Castille. “The utilities honored by the Operations Excellence Awards are the best of the best in 2006.”

The annual awards recognize facilities that demonstrate excellence in operation, maintenance, innovative treatment, conservation, reuse, waste reduction and pollution prevention. Criteria for selecting winners include compliance history, record keeping and reporting, customer relations, operation and maintenance, and employee training.

“These awards recognize the substantial investments made by water facilities,” said Mimi Drew, Director of DEP’s Division of Water Resource Management. “We applaud these facilities for their high standards of professionalism and dedication.”

The award winners for 2006 are:

Drinking Water Treatment Plant Excellence 2006 Award Winners:

• City of Dunedin Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Plant
• City of Tamarac Water Treatment Plant
• Collier County North Regional Water Treatment Plant
• Lee County Utilities Pinewoods Water Treatment Plant
• Pinellas County Utilities S. K. Keller Water Treatment Facility

Domestic Wastewater Treatment Plant Excellence 2006 Award Winners:

• Altamonte Springs Regional Water Reclamation Facility
• Charlotte Correctional Institution Wastewater Treatment Plant
• Eglin Air Force Base Plew Heights Wastewater Treatment Facility
• Eglin Air Force Base Auxiliary Field 3 Wastewater Treatment Facility
• Eglin Air Force Base Site C-6 Wastewater Treatment Facility
• Fiesta Village Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant
• Fort Myers Beach Wastewater Treatment Plant
• Village of Wellington Wastewater Treatment Facility
• William E. Dunn Reclamation Facility

For more information, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/mainpage/programs/water.htm.