Partnership for Safe Water Representatives:
Nancy Dinger: Partnership for Safe Water Coordinator
Phone: 717-774-8870
Kate O’Neill
Barry Herr
Paul Zielinski
Mike McFadden
Pennsylvania American Water Systems Recognized for Excellent Tap Water Quality
Company has received more awards than any water utility in the nation – demonstrating outstanding commitment to delivering high quality drinking water
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (Sept. 27, 2021) – Customers of Pennsylvania American Water can rest assured of the quality of their tap water, as 17 of the company’s water treatment plants were recently recognized by the Partnership for Safe Water at the Directors and Presidents levels for achieving water quality excellence. The national awards, which honor efforts to continuously optimize water treatment plant and distribution system operation and performance, were announced by the American Water Works Association.
“Maintaining these levels of quality demonstrates Pennsylvania American Water’s continued commitment to optimizing treatment processes and providing high-quality water to customers,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Mike Doran. “Through the past year – pandemic and all – the dedicated teams who support these systems have continued their work every day to deliver tap water that is safe, clean, reliable, and meets or surpasses state and federal drinking water standards. I am so proud of our team for receiving more Partnership for Safe Water awards than any other water utility in the nation.”
The Pennsylvania American Water treatment plants recognized this year are listed below. A full list of the company’s award-winning water systems can be found here.
20 Year Directors Award
- Brownsville Water Treatment Plant (Fayette County)
- Crystal Lake Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)
- Kane Water Treatment Plant (McKean County)
- Lake Scranton Water Treatment Plant (Lackawanna County)
- Norristown Water Treatment Plant (Montgomery County)
- Punxsutawney Water Treatment Plant (Jefferson County)
- Susquehanna Water Treatment Plant (Susquehanna County)
- Watres Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)
- White Deer Water Treatment Plant (Union County)
10 Year Directors Award
- Stony Garden Water Treatment Plant (Northampton County)
5 Year Presidents Award
- Bangor Water Treatment Plant (Northampton County)
- Brownell Water Treatment Plant (Lackawanna County)
- Crystal Lake Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)
- Hershey/GC Smith Water Treatment Plant (Dauphin County)
- Indiana Water Treatment Plant (Indiana County)
- Nesbitt Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)
5 Year Directors Award
- Rock Run Water Treatment Plant (Chester County)
“We’re proud of our incredible team of expert scientists, treatment plant operators and engineers that support our water systems,” Doran continued. “This impressive award demonstrates their dedication and commitment to protecting the health and safety of our customers for the past 20 years and beyond.”
Nationally, just over 400 surface water treatment plants are part of the Partnership for Safe Water, a voluntary effort that is designed to increase protection against microbial contamination through treatment optimization.
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.4 million people. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
Pennsylvania American Water Systems Recognized for 20 Consecutive Years of Excellent Tap Water
Company has received more awards than any water utility in the nation – demonstrating outstanding commitment to delivering high quality drinking water
MECHANICSBURG, Pa. (Nov. 19, 2020) – Customers of Pennsylvania American Water can rest assured of the quality of their tap water, as 18 of the company’s water treatment plants were recently recognized with 20-Year Directors Awards from the Partnership for Safe Water for 20 consecutive years of water quality excellence. The national awards, which honor efforts to continuously optimize water treatment plant and distribution system operation and performance, were announced by the American Water Works Association.
“Safe, clean, and reliable tap water is critical to our customers and communities, which is why Pennsylvania American Water holds ourselves to high standards and is a proud and longstanding member of the Partnership for Safe Water,” said Pennsylvania American Water President Mike Doran. “We remind our customers that the next time they turn on their tap, please remember there’s a team in your community dedicated to delivering tap water that is safe, clean, reliable, and that meets or exceeds state and federal drinking water standards.”
This year, 18 Pennsylvania American Water treatment plants from around the Commonwealth received this prestigious award. A full list of the company’s awards can be viewed here. The company recently released a video recognizing its award-winning drinking water facilities featuring several of the employees who play a vital role in the company’s water quality success.
“We’re proud of our incredible team of expert scientists, treatment plant operators and engineers that support our water systems,” Doran continued. “This impressive award demonstrates their dedication and commitment to protecting the health and safety of our customers over the past 20 years and beyond.”
The following Pennsylvania American Water treatment plants were recognized this year for maintaining the Phase III Directors Award status for 20 years:
- Aldrich Water Treatment Plant (Washington County)
- Bangor Water Treatment Plant (Northampton County)
- Brownell Water Treatment Plant (Lackawanna County)
- Butler/Oneida Valley WTP (Butler County)
- Ceasetown Water Treatment Plant (Luzerne County)
- Ellwood Water Treatment Plant (Lawrence County)
- Fallbrook Water Treatment Plant (Lackawanna County)
- Forest City Water Treatment Plant (Lackawanna County)
- Hays Mine Water Treatment Plant (Allegheny County)
- Hershey/Gerald C. Smith WTP (Dauphin County)
- Indiana (Two Lick Creek) WTP (Indiana County)
- Kittanning Water Treatment Plant (Armstrong County)
- Milton Filter Plant (Northumberland County)
- Montrose Water Treatment Plant (Susquehanna County)
- Nesbitt Water Purification Plant (Lackawanna County)
- New Castle Water Treatment Plant (Lawrence County)
- Philipsburg Water Treatment Plant (Centre County)
- Silver Spring Water Treatment Plant (Cumberland County)
Nationally, just over 400 surface water treatment plants are part of the Partnership for Safe Water Program, a voluntary effort that is designed to increase protection against microbial contamination through treatment optimization.
Pennsylvania American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.4 million people. With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 6,800 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable and reliable water services to our customers to make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
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Laura Martin
Director, Communications & External Affairs, Mid-Atlantic Division
1600 Pennsylvania Ave
Charleston, WV 25302
P: 304-340-2089
F: 304-340-2076
C: 304-932-7158
E: [email protected]
pennsylvaniaamwater.com
westvirginiaamwater.com
Partner with us to Optimize Operations:
The Partnership for Safe Water Program
Attention: Non-Partnership Members…Surface and Groundwater Treatment Plants and Distribution System Operations
Enclosed please find our latest Partners in PA newsletter which recognizes the latest accomplishments of our current members. As you can see we have a lot of members who are dedicated to making their utilities the best that they can be. We would like to have you join and become a part of our great Partnership for Safe Water program.
The Partnership for Safe Water is a voluntary utility program with a mission of improving the quality of drinking water delivered to customers by optimizing surface and groundwater treatment plants and distribution system operations. The Partnership’s comprehensive self-assessment and optimization programs provide utilities with the tools they need to improve performance beyond even proposed regulatory levels.
The Treatment Plant Optimization Program is open to surface water filtration plants of all sizes and process configurations and is focused on reducing treated water turbidity to protect public health. The Distribution System Optimization Program is open to any water utility that applies a distribution system disinfectant and is focused on evaluating and optimizing distribution system performance based on a variety of parameters, including disinfectant residual. The Groundwater program is open to well water systems that remove a contaminant as part of their treatment process (arsenic, TDS, iron, manganese, etc). Low annual subscriber fees are based on population served and cost utility customers less than a penny per year, while providing a measureable improvement in drinking water quality.
Partnership utilities receive recognition as they progress through the program’s phases and reach optimization milestones, demonstrating their commitment to improving water quality and protecting public health. Benefits of joining the program(s) include enhanced water quality to customers, reducing the risk of passage of microbial contaminants, improving teamwork at all levels, development of a proactive approach to future compliance with proposed regulations, and enhancing customer confidence through awards and recognition programs.
Join the more than 220 Partnership utilities that participate in and benefit from the Partnership for Safe Water’s utility optimization programs. To learn more, visit www.awwa.org/partnership or contact one of our PfSW representatives directly: John Bartol (610-751-3013), Kate O’Neill (412-327-5460), Barry Herr – (724-622-0461) Tom Detweiler (570-977-1648), Paul Zielinski (717-645-2636), or PfSW the administrator for the PfSW Reps –Nancy Dinger (717-774-8870)
2015 Safe Water Conference Presentations available here.
Special thanks to: John Brady, Entech Engineering
How does the water consumer benefit from the Partnership?
Water quality will be improved. Through this Partnership, water experts will provide utilities with guidance, advice, and technical assistance for fine-tuning water treatment. Partnership members are committed to taking preventive treatment actions to insure drinking water is always safe, no matter what environmental influences may impact raw water quality.
Why is this program important?
As water providers identify and battle microbial contaminants such as “Cryptosporidium,” achieving optimum water treatment has become more important. Partnership members are taking aggressive steps to perfect their everyday water operations and maintenance to combat water contaminants. Their overall goal is to improve drinking water quality and treatment.
The Partnership also strengthens the relationship of the government, utilities, and water organizations so they can continue to work together to insure the quality of public drinking water.
What are the Partners required to do?
In addition to committing to ongoing water treatment enhancement, Partnership members must meet current USEPA water quality standards, be in compliance with the Surface Water Treatment Rule for the past six months, have a third party assess their water operations, implement system improvements identified by the assessment, and communicate their efforts to their customers.
The following four phases were developed to help the Partnership members meet the requirements.
Phase I – the agreement to participate in the Partnership for Safe Water. The agreement requires the water supplier to have met the USEPA’s Surface Water Treatment Rule, pledge to complete at least Phases II and III of the Partnership program, and notify their consumers of their progress.
Phase II – the data collection process. Partners will collect basic plant and plant performance data, assess current operations and evaluate areas where performance can be enhanced. Partners have 180 days to complete Phase II.
Phase III – a comprehensive water treatment self-assessment. Partners will examine the data collected in Phase II and identify and correct any performance-limiting factors. Partners will report their progress to the “Program Effectiveness Assessment Committee,” a group of independent national experts.
…..a third-party assessment using the USEPA Composite Correction Program (CCP). CCP emphasizes using corrective measures for optimizing filtration plant performance that do not require major construction or major expense. Phase IV involves having the water supplier’s corrective measures reviewed by trained third-party assessors.
PHASE IV-
FULLY OPTIMIZED SYSTEM
Phase IV recognizes the highest level of optimization with exclusive Presidents and Excellence awards.
Who are the Partnership Members?
Nearly 300 water utilities across the nation have joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, American Water Works Association, Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, National Association of Water Companies, Association Of State Drinking Water Administrators, and the American Water Works Association Research Foundation in the Partnership for Safe Water. Experts on water quality and treatment from throughout the industry have contributed their time and knowledge to help develop the comprehensive administrative, operational, and technical requirements of the Partnership’s Four-Phased program.