ALEXANDRIA, Va.— The Water Environment Federation (WEF) proudly announces the 2019 WEF Awards recipients for operational and design excellence. These awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the water environment profession.
“The Water Environment Federation is extremely proud to honor these examples of top-of-industry excellence in operations and design,” said Eileen O’Neill, WEF Executive Director.
The 2019 recipients for Operational and Design Excellence Awards are:
Collection Systems Award: Luis R. León
The Collection Systems Award is presented to an individual for contributions to the advancement of the state-of-the-art wastewater collection. Luis R. León has devoted more than 30 years to U.S. and international engineering and management experience in master planning, feasibility studies, asset management, design, permitting, and construction management of public and private infrastructure projects. His primary focus areas have been condition assessment and innovative trenchless approaches. Luis has exhibited leadership in these areas not only by completing successful projects but by his devotion to mentoring others. Luis has made a significant impact in Central and South America. He is a certified National Association of Sewer Service Companies trainer who has trained professionals in condition assessment approaches in both English and Spanish. León has been responsible for translating English materials into Spanish to support the growth and development of responsible collection system management throughout North, Central and South America, and conducted the first Pipeline Assessment Certification Program course in Colombia.
Innovative Technology Award: Flygt Concertor™-- Xylem, Inc.
This award recognizes WEF Associate Members who have introduced new innovative products or services related to the construction, operation or maintenance of treatment facilities. The Flygt Concertor Pump resolves virtually every issue a pumping station can have without operator intervention.
Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award: Pilgrim’s Pride
The Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award is presented to a corporation, and if applicable, its engineering firm that best demonstrates significant, lasting and measurable excellence in water quality improvement or in the prevention of water quality degradations as demonstrated by innovative design and operation of an industrial wastewater, pretreatment or source prevention program. Pilgrim’s Pride operates a chicken slaughtering and processing facility in Cold Springs, Minn., and uses a tremendous amount of water for washing and cleaning chickens. The facility’s wastewater contains significant amounts of organics and nutrients and is subject to federal regulations for the processing operations and must meet federal wastewater discharge standards.
In ongoing efforts to minimize freshwater use and maximize water reuse, Pilgrim’s Pride has been able to employ advanced treatment technologies and innovative operations to produce high quality water from their wastewater treatment facility for facility operations. As a result, the facility is using 25-30% less fresh water for process operations while producing an effluent quality that is well below regulatory standards, with phosphorous and total nitrogen typically below background levels in the Sauk River.
The reduction in both the freshwater use for process operations and the environmental impact on the Sauk River from the wastewater treatment facility discharge is a clear example of a company doing the right things for the right reasons.
WEF Project Excellence Award
WEF's annual Project Excellence Award pays tribute to excellence and innovation in the execution of projects and programs in the water sector.
These awards will be presented during WEFTEC® 2019, the Federation’s 92nd Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, September 21-25 in Chicago.
For more information about the WEF Awards, visit https://www.wef.org/awards.
Click here to download a PDF of this release
The 2019 recipients for Operational and Design Excellence Awards are:
Collection Systems Award: Luis R. León
The Collection Systems Award is presented to an individual for contributions to the advancement of the state-of-the-art wastewater collection. Luis R. León has devoted more than 30 years to U.S. and international engineering and management experience in master planning, feasibility studies, asset management, design, permitting, and construction management of public and private infrastructure projects. His primary focus areas have been condition assessment and innovative trenchless approaches. Luis has exhibited leadership in these areas not only by completing successful projects but by his devotion to mentoring others. Luis has made a significant impact in Central and South America. He is a certified National Association of Sewer Service Companies trainer who has trained professionals in condition assessment approaches in both English and Spanish. León has been responsible for translating English materials into Spanish to support the growth and development of responsible collection system management throughout North, Central and South America, and conducted the first Pipeline Assessment Certification Program course in Colombia.
Innovative Technology Award: Flygt Concertor™-- Xylem, Inc.
This award recognizes WEF Associate Members who have introduced new innovative products or services related to the construction, operation or maintenance of treatment facilities. The Flygt Concertor Pump resolves virtually every issue a pumping station can have without operator intervention.
Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award: Pilgrim’s Pride
The Industrial Water Quality Achievement Award is presented to a corporation, and if applicable, its engineering firm that best demonstrates significant, lasting and measurable excellence in water quality improvement or in the prevention of water quality degradations as demonstrated by innovative design and operation of an industrial wastewater, pretreatment or source prevention program. Pilgrim’s Pride operates a chicken slaughtering and processing facility in Cold Springs, Minn., and uses a tremendous amount of water for washing and cleaning chickens. The facility’s wastewater contains significant amounts of organics and nutrients and is subject to federal regulations for the processing operations and must meet federal wastewater discharge standards.
In ongoing efforts to minimize freshwater use and maximize water reuse, Pilgrim’s Pride has been able to employ advanced treatment technologies and innovative operations to produce high quality water from their wastewater treatment facility for facility operations. As a result, the facility is using 25-30% less fresh water for process operations while producing an effluent quality that is well below regulatory standards, with phosphorous and total nitrogen typically below background levels in the Sauk River.
The reduction in both the freshwater use for process operations and the environmental impact on the Sauk River from the wastewater treatment facility discharge is a clear example of a company doing the right things for the right reasons.
WEF Project Excellence Award
WEF's annual Project Excellence Award pays tribute to excellence and innovation in the execution of projects and programs in the water sector.
• City of Manteca, Calif., Water Quality Control Facility Digester Improvements Project Phase I and Compressed Biogas Fueling Facilities Project Phase II
Awardees: City of Manteca (Calif.) Public Works, HERWIT Engineering, Inferrera Construction Management Group, and Western Water Constructors
A biosolids management plan identified the need for two additional digesters for capacity purposes and to allow for the co-digestion of biosolids with additional food waste and fats, oils and grease. This plan formed the basis of the needed elements for the city's new waste-to-fuel program. Facility improvements were constructed in two phases. Phase I included a digester expansion and new digester control building with the latest energy efficient technology. Phase II included a new facility to convert biogas to renewable natural gas for fueling the city garbage fleet and other city and public vehicles.
• North Henderson CSO Reduction Project
Awardees: Seattle Public Utilities, HDR and Hoffman Construction
Seward Park is home to one of the largest combined sewer overflow (CSO) storage tanks in the Seattle area—North Henderson CSO Reduction project. To reduce untreated CSOs into the ecologically sensitive Lake Washington, the city of Seattle constructed the 2.7 million-gallon storage tank. Located under tennis courts in a 278-acre park, the new storage system reduces yearly CSO events to less than one—meeting a federal consent decree and improving Lake Washington water quality.
These awards will be presented during WEFTEC® 2019, the Federation’s 92nd Annual Technical Exhibition and Conference, September 21-25 in Chicago.
For more information about the WEF Awards, visit https://www.wef.org/awards.
Click here to download a PDF of this release
