HERSHEY, Pa., Dec. 20, 2000 (PRNewswire) — Gov. Tom Ridge today recognized Pennsylvania-American Water Company (PAWC) for its commitment to protecting the environment.
Pennsylvania-American submitted one of only 43 projects from across the state that was selected to receive a 2000 Governor's Award for Environmental Excellence for its Water Treatment Residual Program
Water treatment residuals are a product of the drinking water treatment process that resembles engineered topsoil in appearance and performance. As a result of the program, the residual material is land applied and used as topsoil or a topsoil blend.
"The material has been found to be cost-effective and environmentally sound medium for the reclamation, revegetation and landscaping of vacant industrial sites and for general use as topsoil amendment," said Dan Hufton, PAWC water quality superintendent and program administrator.
Statewide, Pennsylvania-American has successfully implemented alternative residuals management practices at 21 of its 32 water treatment facilities and is currently working on an additional three facilities. As a result of the program, PAWC beneficially uses approximately 57 percent of its dewatered residue for land application uses. "When the additional three plants are on- line with the program, the level is expected to rise to at least 85 percent," said Hufton.
Liquid treatment residuals generated at 17 plants are also being utilized as a final cover for abandoned, open land areas and fields where vegetative cover is needed to prevent erosion of the applied topsoil.
The innovative management of the treatment residuals has freed up landfill space that otherwise would be needed for final disposal; helped to conserve the Commonwealth's natural soil resources by using the material as a soils additive or as a replacement for topsoil; and has lessened the demand for topsoil removal on virgin farmland for other reconstructive uses.
"We are extremely proud of our Water Treatment Residuals Program and honored that Governor Ridge has selected us for this great distinction," said Robert M. Ross, president and CEO. "As a result of this award-winning program, Pennsylvania-American Water Company now has a long-lasting, environmentally sound way to utilize its water treatment residuals at various sites throughout the Commonwealth."
The program has also proved to provide a cost effective means to dispose of the residual material. Company wide, it is estimated that PAWC's program has reduced the price of residual disposal for the company from $31/wet ton prior to 1999 to a post program cost of $17/wet ton. Overall, this has reduced the company's annual residue disposal costs by $1.4 million.
For more information on Pennsylvania-American Water Company's Water Treatment Residual program, contact Dan Hufton at 800-474-7292, or log on to Pennsylvania-American's website at www.pawc.com.
Pennsylvania-American Water Company, a subsidiary of American Water Works Company (NYSE: AWK), is the largest regulated water utility in the United States. The Company owns and operates 32 surface water filtration plants with a combined capacity of 332 million gallons of water per day. More than 7,700 miles of distribution lines deliver high quality water to more than 2 million Pennsylvanians in 298 municipalities. American Water Works Company, located in Voorhees, NJ, is the largest and most geographically diverse investor-owned water utility business in the United States. The Company's utility subsidiaries and affiliates now serve over 10 million people in 23 states.
SOURCE: Pennsylvania-American Water Company
