Great Lakes Water Authority Recognized Nationally For Achieving The Highest Level Of Performance In Water Treatment Facility Optimization

GLWA’s Water Works Park Water Treatment Facility among an elite group to receive the Presidents Award from the Partnership for Safe Water

The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) has received the rarely-achieved Presidents Award from the Partnership for Safe Water (Partnership), a volunteer initiative developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), American Water Works Association (AWWA), and associated partner organizations representing water suppliers to guide water systems toward improving water quality by optimizing system operations and surpassing regulatory standards.

The national award recognizes water suppliers that represent a superior level of performance and has been developed by industry experts to showcase their commitment to delivering safe water to their community. The Presidents Award honors those treatment facilities that achieve very stringent individual filter performance goals for turbidity. The Authority is one of only three water treatment facilities in the U.S. that have achieved this level of performance in their facility processes in the Partnership’s 2021 award year.

“Receiving the Presidents Award in GLWA’s fifth year of operations is a significant milestone and testament to our team’s ongoing commitment to providing water of unquestionable quality to the people of southeast Michigan,” said Cheryl Porter, chief operating officer, water & field services, GLWA. “This award is a tangible example of the Authority’s dedication to maintaining high standards for water quality and exceptional operations. I commend the hard work and dedication of the Water Works Park team for achieving this honor, especially while operating under the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.”

In the past five years, four out of five of GLWA’s drinking water treatment facilities – Lake Huron, Northeast, Southwest and Water Works Park – have also been recognized by the Partnership with its Directors Award.

The Partnership is a voluntary self-assessment and optimization program for water treatment facility and distribution system operation. More than 275 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 sector experts, and are recognized for their commitment to delivering safe water to their communities.

The Presidents Award is achieved through the four-phased program comprised of commitment, baseline and annual data collection, self-assessment, and a fully optimized system and recognizes the treatment facilities that achieve the Partnership’s rigorous individual filter effluent turbidity standards and are working to full optimization.

About the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA)
The Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) is the provider-of-choice for drinking water services to nearly 40 percent, and efficient and effective wastewater services to nearly 30 percent, of Michigan’s population. With the Great Lakes as source water, GLWA is uniquely positioned to provide those it serves with water of unquestionable quality. GLWA also has the capacity to extend its services beyond its 88 member partner communities. As part of its commitment to water affordability, the Authority offers a Water Residential Assistance Program to assist low-income households in participating member communities throughout the system. GLWA’s board includes one representative each from Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties, two representatives from the city of Detroit, and one appointed by the Michigan governor to represent member partner communities outside of the tri-county area. For more information, visit www.glwater.org.

About The Partnership for Safe Water
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.