The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented Leslie Gryder of Lynchburg, Va., with the EPA mid-Atlantic award for excellence in operating a large public drinking water system.
“Public drinking water plant operators are on the front lines for preventing waterborne diseases, and protecting public health,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “Leslie Gryder exemplifies excellence among the many highly qualified, trained professionals who are dedicated to improving the quality of our drinking water.”
Gryder has made exceptional contributions to the city of Lynchburg’s water treatment plant by implementing new processes and procedures to keep the city’s drinking water safe and clean, including:
· Modifying the disinfection process which reduced potentially harmful disinfection byproducts by approximately 50 percent;
· Improving taste and odor by minimizing the formation of algae; and
· Assisting neighboring systems with preventing and removing microbial contamination, achieving considerable cost savings in the process.
Source: EPA
