Metropolitan Water Reclamation District treatment facilities achieve perfection

With the Olympics underway in London, athletes from all over the world are striving for perfection to earn gold, silver and bronze medals. When it comes to providing wastewater treatment services, hundreds of monitoring and testing samples can be collected and evaluated on any given day, and a flaw in any one could affect a perfect score.

Just as they have in the two past decades, five of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) treatment facilities have achieved perfect scores on annual reports to earn the National Association of Clean Water Agencies’ (NACWA) highest honor, the Platinum Peak Performance awards.

These awards recognize exceptional performance under National Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements and federal Clean Water Act standards.  The MWRD has received platinum peak performance honors for up to 20 consecutive years of 100 percent compliance.

“Congratulations on this extraordinary accomplishment,” said Kelly A. Brocato, NACWA Director of Membership Development. “Your commitment to excellence in environmental protection is outstanding.”

The awards were granted for the following compliance records:

• Calumet Water Reclamation Plant, Chicago, for 20 years of 100 percent compliance;
• Lemont Water Reclamation Plant, Lemont, for 15 years of 100 percent  compliance;
• Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, Cicero, for 15 years of 100 percent compliance;
• James C. Kirie Water Reclamation Plant, Des Plaines, for seven years of 100 percent; and,
• North Side Water Reclamation Plant, Skokie, for six years of 100 percent compliance.

“This is a great honor for our District, our facilities, our certified operators, and all employees who work hard every day to protect the area waterways,” said Board President Terrence J. O’Brien. “All Cook County residents can be proud of these achievements.”  

Awards were presented during a July 16 ceremony at NACWA’s 2012 Summer Conference and 42nd annual meeting in Philadelphia. As a multi-year platinum honoree, the five facilities were highlighted in a video presentation.

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