NACWA Member Update (MU07-04)

Action Please By:
May 11, 2007

NACWA’s Peak Performance Awards Program recognizes member agency facilities for excellence in wastewater treatment as measured by their compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit requirements. This program has honored growing numbers of NACWA member agency facilities since its inception in 1987, and continues this tradition in 2007 by recognizing excellence in treatment results for the 2006 calendar year.

Three Peak Performance Award Categories Recognize Facility Achievement
NACWA’s Peak Performance Awards Program consists of three categories – Platinum, Gold and Silver. The criteria for each category are as follows:

• Platinum Awards recognize 100% compliance with NPDES permits over a consecutive five year period. Platinum Awards will be given to facilities with a consistent record of full NPDES compliance for the calendar years of 2002 through 2006. Attached is a list of facilities that, based on NACWA’s records, are eligible for a Platinum Award this year if they attained full compliance for the entire 2006 calendar year. If your agency has a facility that you believe is eligible for a 2006 Platinum Award, but is not included on the enclosed list, please fax a copy of your Gold Award certificates from the past four years (2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005) to Robin Davis at NACWA’s National Office, fax: 202/833-4657.
  
  [Please Note – New Eligibility: If a member agency receives a Platinum Award, in the subsequent years, as long as 100% compliance is maintained, Platinum Award status can be continued. Should 100% compliance not be maintained, member agency facilities must receive four consecutive Gold Awards to again be eligible for another Platinum Award.]

• Gold Awards are presented to facilities with no NPDES permit violations for the 2006 calendar year.

• Silver Awards are presented to facilities with no more than five NPDES violations 2006 calendar year.

All eligible member agency facilities must provide at least secondary treatment, or advanced primary treatment with a 301(h)waiver. Additionally, there are no facility capacity minimums for Peak Performance Award eligibility.

How to Apply for 2006 Peak Performance Recognition…
The attached Peak Performance Award Application Packet provides you with complete details and information to apply for recognition. NACWA has made applying for Peak Performance recognition easier – now facilities may complete and submit their applications in the following ways:

1. Online Application on CleanWater Central ™ (preferred) – Visit www.cleanwatercentral.org to complete and submit an online application. (Please see page 3 of the application packet for detailed instructions.)

2. Download Application Materials and Fax or E-mail – Visit NACWA’s web site, www.nacwa.org, and download the application form. Complete and submit the application form to Mark Hoeke via fax 202.318.1472 or e-mail: mhoeke@dfinet.ch

3. Via Regular Mail – If your utility is submitting a significant number of pages and/or several applications, please submit the application(s) via regular mail to Robin Davis, at NACWA’s National Office, 1816 Jefferson Place, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.

Applicants must provide a copy of the applicable federal or state-issued NPDES permit requirements or a copy of these requirements must already be on file with NACWA. Please review the “What to Submit” section, which can be found on page 2 of the application packet carefully to determine what your facility must include with the facility’s application packet.

If the Survey form is not adequate to show all permit requirements and discharge results, it may be modified or a separate table may be submitted by e-mail. Please use an Excel spreadsheet where possible and include monthly flow data even if flow is not a permit limit.

In addition to your agency’s Peak Performance Award Application, please take a few moments to complete and submit the CleanWater Central™ Wastewater Treatment Facility Description Form, which is included in the application packet. This information will be used to add or update your facility information in CleanWater Central ™ database, www.cleanwatercentral.org.

2006 Peak Performance Award Recognition
In 2007, NACWA’s Peak Performance honorees will be recognized at an Awards Ceremony and Reception during NACWA’s Summer Conference in Cleveland, Ohio. Recipients of Platinum Awards will be invited to accept their award in person and Gold and Silver Award winners will receive their certificates by mail. All award winning facilities will be showcased in the July/August edition of NACWA’s monthly newsletter, the Clean Water Advocate.

Questions?
Please contact Mark Hoeke via e-mail: mhoeke@dfinet.ch, or phone: 202.361.7446, with any questions you may have regarding completion of the Peak Performance application form. General questions about the Peak Performance Award Program and awards ceremony should be directed to Robin Davis, at NACWA’s National Office, phone: 202.533.1802 or e-mail: rdavis@nacwa.org.

Remember – application for the 2006 Peak Performance Awards Program are due by May 11, 2007.

ATTACHMENTS:

• Instructions for NACWA Peak Performance Awards Application – 2006 (PDF)
• 2006 Peak Performance Award Application (XLS)
• Potential 2006 Platinum Award Honorees (PDF)
• Copies of NDPES (or State) Permit Requirements Submitted for 2003, 2004, 2005 Peak Performance Awards (PDF)
• CleanWater Central™ Wastewater Treatment Facility Description Form (PDF)