Clean Water Advocacy - Newsroom - AMSA in the News
Treatment Plant Makes the Grade
West New York Reporter 6/26/2003
GREGG M. MILIOTE , Herald News Staff Reporter
06/26/2003 FALL RIVER -- The Fall River Wastewater Treatment Facility officially
received its first Gold Peak Performance Award from the Association of
Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies during a ceremony at the plant Wednesday.
The award was hailed by many employees as a significant achievement for a
large-scale facility.
"This is something the employees here have worked very, very hard to obtain,"
said Mayor Edward M. Lambert Jr. "For a facility of this size to have 100
percent compliance is unique and really unheard of."
The gold award, which has only been presented to about 200 of the nation?s
16,000 plants, recognizes those facilities that have achieved 100 percent
compliance with its Federal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
permits for an entire calendar year.
This means the treatment facility complied with more than 3,000 different
discharge requirements in 2002.
The city?s wastewater treatment plant has received the silver performance award
during the past two years, said Ron Laro, director of water pollution control
for the plant.
"We?re out here 24 hours a day and seven days a week including all holidays
making sure we meet the different discharge requirements," Laro said. "If we
fail to do so, it could result in pollution or a violation of set standards."
Ned Almeida, president of the city?s sewer commission called the award "very
unique and a wonderful thing to happen to the city."
He said during his 19-year stint with the commission, he has witnessed vast
improvement in the quality of work at the plant.
"Our next challenge is to stay on top of the mountain," Almeida said.
The award was presented to Laro by Jim Galipeau of U.S. Filter, the sewer
commission?s contract operator.
He presented Laro and Lambert with a gold plaque commemorating the achievement
during a cookout ceremony which all employees attended.
Gregg M. Miliote may be reached at
gmiliote@heraldnews.com.