Parker Water and Sanitation District’s (PWSD) Rueter-Hess Water Purification Facility has received the Directors Award from the Partnership for Safe Water, a program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and associated partner organizations to guide water utilities towards improving water quality by optimizing system operations.
The Rueter-Hess Water Purification Facility was presented the award for achieving the program’s Directors Award level of performance. The Directors Award is awarded by completing the Self-Assessment and Peer Review phase of the Partnership program, a phase which includes comprehensive evaluation of treatment plant operations and performance, identification of performance limiting factors, and the development of action plans to achieve optimization. The plant is one of a select group of utilities honored by the Partnership and AWWA, the largest and oldest worldwide organization dedicated to safe water.
“This award is the result of more than two years of hard work by our team and I am very proud of their achievement” said PWSD Director of Operations James Roche. “Our utility’s goal is to continually optimize operations and improve the quality of water we deliver to our customers. Winning the Directors Award reaffirms our ongoing commitment to protecting public health and quality of life for our customers.”
The Partnership for Safe Water is a voluntary self-assessment and optimization program for water treatment plant and distribution system operation. More than 300 utility subscribers, collectively serving more than 100 million people, are committed to the Partnership’s goals of providing safe, high-quality drinking water through achieving operational excellence in water treatment. Partnership members participate in a rigorous four-phase self-assessment and peer review process, developed by water utility optimization experts, and are recognized for their commitment to delivering safe water to their communities.
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The Partnership for Safe Water is an alliance of the American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, Association of State Drinking Water Administrators, United States Environmental Protection Agency, National Association of Water Companies, and the Water Research Foundation.
Established in 1962, Parker Water & Sanitation District’s (PWSD) vision is to sustain life for our community by providing a growing population with secure, long-term, and high-quality water and wastewater service. Supported mainly by water and wastewater rates and new tap fees, the utility is a non-profit public agency.
Established in 1881, the American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water, the world’s most vital resource. With approximately 51,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy and enhance our quality of life.