TEAMWORK EARNS AWARDS FOR CARROLLTON WATER TREATMENT PLANTS
Both Carrollton’s water and wastewater treatment facilities have been awarded the Georgia Association of Water Professionals’ Platinum Award for calendar year 2018. The Platinum Award represents five years of perfect operations at the water plant and 12 years of perfect operations at the wastewater facility.
“These awards are operational awards and are a reflection of our employees’ diligence,” said Carrollton Operations Manager Tony Richardson. “This award is larger than those two departments. It’s a recognition of the entire city’s collaborative efforts.”
Richardson said the operations at the two treatment facilities are monitored using tens of thousands of tests each year. Perfect scores on all the tests lead to the platinum awards. But, a single bad result on any of the tests will disqualify a facility from platinum status. Carrollton’s wastewater plant is one of only 13 in the state with 12 or more years of perfect operations.
The city has made several improvements to the infrastructure at both treatment facilities. At the drinking water facility, the city refurbished concrete structures that were put in place in the 1950s and the 1970s. At the wastewater plant, the city replaced equipment, which Richardson called “the headworks,” including grit removal and screening equipment, that had been in place for 30 years.
“We made it so many years without having to replace this equipment,” said Richardson. “We get more life out of our equipment than most places do. But we really focus on managing what we have.”
The water treatment plant received the People’s Choice Award for Best-Tasting Tap Water in Georgia at the GAWP’s annual conference last year.
“We treat our drinking water twice,” said Richardson. “First using the conventional process then through our membrane filtration system. That is what has helped our quality of water.”
Other awards received by the Carrollton water treatment plant include: GAWWA Outstanding Operation of a Water Distribution System in 2004; Gold Award for Quality Operation for 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; GAWP District 3 Best Tasting Tap Water, 2009; District 3 Best Tasting Tap Water, 2017; GAWWA Best Tasting Tap Water in Georgia, 2017, and the Laboratory Quality Assurance Award in 2005 and 2012.
“We really appreciate the support of the mayor and council and all the departments,” Richardson said. “It is this level of support that allows us to continue operations that are consistently recognized by professional organizations.”