Metropolitan Council Environmental Services received awards for its management excellence and outstanding environmental record at the National Association of Clean Water Agencies’ Utility Leadership Conference and 49th Annual Meeting, held in Minneapolis July 16-19.
The wastewater utility serving the seven-county Twin Cities region, Environmental Services earned an Excellence in Management Award, along with nine similar organizations. The award recognizes commitment to excellence in utility management demonstrated by effluent quality, financial viability, customer satisfaction, operational optimization, and six other measures.
In addition, six of eight wastewater treatment plants operated by Environmental Services in 2018 received “Peak Performance Platinum Awards” for achieving 5 or more consecutive years of full compliance with their clean water discharge permits:
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Hastings, 28 consecutive years of full compliance
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St. Croix Valley (located in Oak Park Heights), 27
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Blue Lake (Shakopee), 13
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Eagles Point (Cottage Grove), 13
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Empire (Empire Township), 11
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Metropolitan (Saint Paul), 7
Only two plants in the country have longer compliance records than the Hastings Plant.
The Seneca Plant (Eagan) received a Gold Award for having no permit violations in 2018 and the East Bethel Water Reclamation Facility received a Silver Award for having no more than five permit violations in 2018.