EPA Region 8 Operations & Maintenance Award Ceremony

August 27, 1998

EPA Award. Left to Right: Steve Tuber, Assistant Region 8 Administrator, Sharon Walkington, Public Utilities Advisory Committee Chair, LeRoy W. Hooton, Jr., Director, Department of Public Utilities and Jon Adams, Water Reclamation Manager.
Today Assistant Region 8 Administrator Steve Tuber presented Salt Lake City Water Reclamation Plant personnel the 1988 Region 8 Operations and Maintenance Excellence Award, at a ceremony held at the treatment plant facility.  He stated, "The American Public feels that clean water is important enough to have committed $75 billion worth of federal funds, with $25 billion coming from states, totaling over $100 billion." Mr. Tuber, praised the plant's efficiency and commitment to clean water, referring to the plant's maintenance group's efficient repair of a clarifier during high flows. He added, "the wetlands behind us shows a clear presence of what (the City) is all about and its commitment to the environment." Mr. Tuber presented the City a plaque and each employee a certificate acknowledging their individual contribution to winning the award.

Jon Adam's opening comments articulated the purpose of the award ceremony, "The reason for this presentation is not just to receive an award, but to honor the employees who are the real reason everyone is here."

Noting the City's current wastewater program started 20 years ago, when the City's Sewer and Reclamation division was transferred to Public Utilities and made an enterprise fund, LeRoy W. Hooton, Jr. averred, "The subsequent results have proven the wisdom of that decision. The City is meeting its environmental obligation while having sewer rates among the lowest in the nation." He continued, " The 1996 AMSA Rate Survey shows that the national average sewer bill is $209 per year while the average residential bill in Salt Lake City is $76.80, or about 2 dimes a day to have the family waste transported and treated - there is nothing else, that is so important, that can be compared to at this low cost." He praised the employees for their work in earning the EPA award and thanked them for "their outstanding efforts in making the program the success it is."

Roger Black, Chief Administrative Officer/Director of Management Services, representing Mayor Deedee Corradini, said that the City Administration has encouraged excellence in delivering services. He noted, "what the plant personnel have accomplished is no small measure, and the Administration takes pride in successes such as this." Mr. Black indicated that he was knowledgeable about the wastewater treatment process and had sat behind the control console and walked the pipe gallery. He poked fun at his own experience by saying, "Since becoming involved with the sewer industry, I have an entirely different attitude towards cake."

Walt Baker, Division Head, representing the State, the Governor and Don Osler, Executive Director State Division of Water Quality, said that he was surprised to see how many awards the City had received, "As I reviewed the file I noticed that the plant has been honored as the most outstanding treatment plant by the State on several occasions, outstanding pretreatment program, outstanding laboratory, outstanding operator and technician and many others."  He agreed that the City is
Jon Adams conducts award ceremony.
delivering sewer services at a low cost, noting that sewer rates are overall higher in Utah than the national average. Mr. Baker complimented the plant personnel for their skill, "You are the people that have to be able to work on the car while the engine is still running…you are to be commended for doing an outstanding job."

Jon Adams summed up his feelings, "We have been through much turmoil on this path to success…we have undergone much change which is never easy. We have maintained over 5 consecutive years of compliance during times when critical process units have been down.  We have done all this while the organic loading to the plant has doubled, yet we have produced the highest quality effluent in the plant's history."