Recognized for meeting or exceeding water quality standards

Contact:  Allison Fleck 502-564-3410

FRANKFORT, Ky.  (April 16, 2007) – Thirty-two water treatment plants in Kentucky have received awards from the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet in recognition of their demonstrated success in producing drinking water that consistently meets or exceeds state water quality standards.

The 32 were among 156 public and private water treatment plants in the state that participated in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP), which challenges plants to reduce turbidity levels below those required by state and federal regulations. Turbidity, or cloudiness, of water can be caused by sand and dirt, as well as bacteria and viruses. Particle removal is critical for producing water that is free from dirt and microbes that can cause water-borne diseases.

Two of the water systems – Greensburg Water Works and Rattlesnake Ridge Water District in Grayson -- received Kentucky’s first “AWOP Champion” awards for meeting the optimized water quality goals for particle removal 100 percent of the time for three consecutive years (2004-2007).

Benham Water Plant and Stanford Water Works also received special recognition for achieving the optimized water quality goals 100 percent of the time during 2007.

Water systems recognized for meeting those goals 95 percent of the time during 2007 include:

• Barbourville Water and Sewer
• Beech Fork Water Commission
• Burnside Water Co.
• Cave Run Regional Water Commission
• Central City Water and Sewer
• Columbia Utilities Commission
• Danville City Water Works
• Glasgow Water Co./Barren River Water Treatment Plant
• Green River Valley Water District
• Greenup Water System
• Hardin County Water District #1
• Hardin County Water District #2
• Jackson Municipal Water Works
• Kentucky-American Water Co./Richmond Road Station
• Lawrenceburg Water and Sewer Department

Others were:

• Logan Todd Regional Water Commission
• London Utilities Commission
• McCreary County Water District/Cumberland River Water Treatment Plant
• Morehead Utility Plant Board
• Northern Kentucky Water District/Fort Thomas Water Treatment Plant
• Northpoint Training Center
• Paducah Water Works
• Pineville Water System
• Richmond Utilities
• Southern Water and Sewer District
• Versailles Water System
• West Liberty Water Co.
• Wilmore Water Works

Sandy Gruzesky, director of the Kentucky Division of Water (DOW), praised all the water plants for their achievements.

“AWOP is one of the most successful programs the division has for facilitating improved operations at public and private water systems,” said Gruzesky. “It’s gratifying to see how hard these systems have worked to earn their awards.”

Donna Marlin, manager of the DOW Drinking Water Branch, challenged water plant staffs statewide to keep up the good work.

“Together, these 32 systems serve more than a million Kentuckians who can be assured that their water treatment systems are working hard to produce safe drinking water from Kentucky’s lakes, rivers and reservoirs,” said Marlin. “I fully expect to present many more awards next year as water systems continue to make technical, managerial and financial improvements in the business of producing clean, safe water for the citizens of the commonwealth.”