The WateReuse Association has announced its annual Awards for Excellence and President’s Awards at the 37th Annual WateReuse Symposium.
Awards for Excellence
The WateReuse Awards for Excellence recognize the people, projects, and partnerships that demonstrate exceptional leadership toward building more resilient communities through water reuse.
Award recipients use water recycling in novel ways to solve water management challenges, advance policies that facilitate greater adoption of water recycling, and inspire others through their innovation and leadership:
Advocacy Achievement
The Advocacy Achievement award recognizes individuals and organizations for significant achievements in advancing policy, legislation, or regulations that facilitate greater adoption, implementation, or acceptance of recycled water.
- James Herberg, General Manager, Orange County Sanitation District
- Louis C. Herrin, III, P.E., Senior Engineer, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division,
- The National Blue Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems
Community Water Champion
The Community Water Champion award recognizes the accomplishments of utilities and local government entities that ensure a safe, reliable, locally controlled water supply through the development of water recycling treatment facilities, infrastructure and/or other water reuse projects.
- City of Lakeland Se7en Wetlands, FL
- North Texas Municipal Water District, TX
Excellence in Action
The Excellence in Action award recognizes community leaders that demonstrate a commitment to water resiliency through the innovative use of recycled water for commercial operations, watershed restoration projects, irrigation, or other projects.
- Irvine Ranch Water District and the University of California, Irvine
- Scottsdale Water’s Reclaimed Water Distribution System
Outreach and Education
The Outreach and Education award recognizes significant success in advancing public acceptance of recycled water, including short-term campaigns, educational programs, and events:
- Colorado Springs Utilities, Colorado School of Mines, and Carollo Engineers
- Syphon Reservoir Improvement Project Public Outreach Campaign
Transformational Innovation
The Transformational Innovation award recognizes technological advances, research breakthroughs, and innovative practices that advance the adoption, implementation, or public acceptance of recycled water:
- Eastern Municipal Water District
- New York City Department of Environmental Protection
- Yokogawa Electric Corporation
- Las Virgenes Municipal Water District
- Carollo Engineers
- The National Water Research Institute
- Metropolitan Water District
- Bureau of Reclamation
- IOSight
Up and Comer
The Up and Comer award recognizes a professional with less than 10 years experience in the recycled water industry for leadership in the industry and commitment to pursuing water recycling as a career path:
- Shea Dunifon, Pinellas County Utilities
More videos about the award winners, as well as the full awards program, are available here.
President’s Awards
The President’s Awards recognize individuals who have significantly contributed to the advancement of water reuse through exceptional service and leadership. This award is given at the discretion of the WateReuse Association President:
- Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
- Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA)
- Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
- Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
- David Ross, Former Assistant Administrator for Water, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Service Awards
The WateReuse Association recognized these individuals for their service on our Board of Directors. Their leadership and vision have helped drive the national adoption of water reuse policies and programs:
- Brian Biesemeyer, Scottsdale Water, AZ
- Paul Cook, Irvine Ranch Water District, CA
- Paul Jones, Eastern Municipal Water District, CA
- Gilbert Trejo, El Paso Water, TX
