GUC's Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) staff received a prestigious award this month, the Eastern Region WWTP Operations & Maintenance Excellence Award from the North Carolina chapter of the American Water Works Association - Water Environment Association (NC AWWA-WEA).  NC AWWA-WEA gives three awards each year. This is the first time GUC's WWTP has received this honor.

"This facility has demonstrated a consistently high level of professionalism and dedication to the environment," said Julie Hellmann, NC AWWA-WEA Chair and Engineer with Heyward Inc.

The Association recognized our WWTP staff for their efforts to use technology and resources effectively. All WWTP mechanics and operations staff members use tablets to access our Work and Asset Management (WAM) system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), and Geographic Information System (GIS).

"Work is recorded in the asset management system, which enables more accurate preventative maintenance planning, budget forecasting, and capital planning," said Ms. Hellmann. 

In addition, employees are encouraged to pursue the highest level of certification in their skill set and obtain certifications in other complementary areas as well. Much of the Operations and Maintenance Staff are cross-trained and certified as both Biological Operators and Maintenance Technologists.

Plant staff also provides plant tours and presentations to schools and community groups to educate the public about the environment and our role in preserving it. They host an Open House at the WWTP annually on Earth Day, and this year they also hosted a "Trick or Treatment" tour leading up to Halloween.

"We've worked hard to become a proactive plant," said Bryan Bland, WWTP Chief of Maintenance. He explained that staff roles (Maintenance Electrician and Inventory/Parts Coordinator) have evolved to meet new asset management goals. "This allows for better preventative maintenance as well as better communication between us and our vendors," he said.

Jason Manning, WWTP Superintendent, said changes have also been made on the operational side. GUC is using the latest monitoring and meter technology; and due to the hard work and dedication of the Operations staff, plant-wide improvements have allowed the WWTP staff to meet operational and newly implemented nutrient management goals in 2016.

"We're getting smarter about how we work," said Jason. "We want to make the best use of the resources available."

Congratulations to the entire WWTP staff on this prestigious award!