WASHINGTON, DC, May 2, 2005 (PRNewswire) -- The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District has won its second consecutive Platinum Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA), formerly the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies, for its second five-year period without a single numerical violation of its discharge permit.
The award was presented here yesterday at NACWA's 35th Anniversary Annual Meeting.
According to NACWA, earning two back-to-back Platinum Awards has been achieved by only five other wastewater treatment agencies in the country. Two Platinum Awards represent 10 perfect years, during which the Metro District discharged almost 530 billion gallons of treated, high-quality water into the South Platte River and completed more than 100,000 chemical and biological analyses that verify there were no permit violations.
"Our 345 employees have every right to be proud of this accomplishment. It places them among the elite protectors of the environment in the nation," said District Manager Robert W. Hite.
"These accomplishments result from the efforts of many. The District has an outstanding maintenance department, a well-engineered plant, great support groups, and management that always strives to do the best for our ratepayers. We also have a dedicated operations staff that continually impresses me with their ability to get things done no matter what the challenge," said Steve Rogowski, director of operations and maintenance.
The Metro Wastewater Reclamation District serves about 1.5 million people. Its service area includes most of metropolitan Denver and encompasses 380 square miles, including all of Denver and parts of Adams, Arapahoe and Jefferson Counties. Arvada, Aurora, Lakewood, Thornton, and part of Westminster are included.
The Metro District collects and treats about 130 million gallons of wastewater a day at its 185 million-gallon-a-day Central Treatment Plant five miles northeast of central Denver. This plant is the largest wastewater treatment facility in the Rocky Mountain West.
Formed under Colorado law in 1961, the Metro District provides wholesale wastewater transmission and treatment service to 57 local governments, including both cities and sanitation districts in metropolitan Denver. The Metro District began treating metro Denver's wastewater in 1966.
NACWA (www.nacwa.org) implemented the National Environmental Achievement Awards program in 1983 to recognize the excellence that was occurring routinely at many wastewater treatment agencies across the country.
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