FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2016

CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us 

DEP PRESENTS 2015 PLANT EXCELLENCE AWARDS TO SOUTHEAST FLORIDA WATER FACILITY OPERATORS 

~Awards presented to two recipients for innovation at
wastewater and drinking water facilities~

DEP Southeast District Director Jennifer Smith with Plant Operations Excellence Award recipients representing the village of Wellington Water Reclamation Facility.

TAMARAC, Fla.  – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection today presented the 2015 Plant Operations Excellence Awards to two Southeast Florida drinking water and domestic wastewater facilities at the annual Focus on Change Seminar. The drinking water facility award recipient was the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority J. Robert Dean Water Treatment Plant. The wastewater facility recipient was the village of Wellington Water Reclamation Facility, which also earned the Plant Operations Excellence Award in 2004, 2005 and 2006.

“Water reuse represents the wave of the future, and we applaud the village of Wellington for their outstanding commitment to achieving high quality reclaimed water. Their dedicated and knowledgeable staff have helped establish this facility in village of Wellington as one of the best in the Southeast District,” said Jennifer Smith, DEP Southeast District director. “This award highlights the essential role that this facility and others in the region play when it comes to the important task of recycling water.”

Each year, the department presents awards to domestic wastewater and drinking water facilities around the state that demonstrate excellence in operation, maintenance, innovative treatment, waste reduction, pollution prevention, recycling or other achievements. These awards recognize facilities that demonstrate a special commitment to excellence in management through dedicated professionalism and that have an impeccable history of record-keeping compliance. 

The department is awarding a total of 16 facilities, including five domestic wastewater facilities and 11 drinking water facilities statewide. The other awards were presented at district ceremonies during the Focus on Change Seminars in Ocala, Haines City, Punta Gorda and Panama City.

This is the 26th year that the Florida Rural Water Association has conducted the Focus on Change Seminar in conjunction with DEP. The seminar is designed to provide current regulatory information to utilities in order to improve compliance.

About the Florida Department of Environmental Protection

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s principal environmental agency, created to protect, conserve and manage Florida’s environment and natural resources. The department enforces federal and state environmental laws, protects Florida’s air and water quality, cleans up pollution, regulates solid waste management, promotes pollution prevention and acquires environmentally sensitive lands for preservation. The agency also maintains a statewide system of parks, trails and aquatic preserves. Visit the department’s website at www.dep.state.fl.us.

https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/FLDEP/bulletins/13a7f66