EPA New England recognizes excellence in the wastewater sector

The U.S. EPA’s New England office has announced the winners of multiple awards for wastewater excellence across Massachusetts, Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

The awards include the 2023 Regional National Pretreatment Program Excellence Award, the Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator of the Year Award, and several others.

In Massachusetts, the U.S. EPA recognized the Greater Lawrence Sanitary District’s Industrial Pretreatment Program staff with the EPA Regional Industrial Pretreatment Program Excellence Award. Led by Colleen Spero, the agency recognized the staff for “exceptional work inspecting, permitting and sampling industrial users that discharge industrial waste into the collection system.”

In Vermont, EPA recognized three winners for the 2023 EPA Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator of the Year Award. The program recognizes personnel who have provided invaluable public service managing and operating wastewater treatment facilities. EPA named Dan Copp of the Johnson Wastewater Treatment Facility, Kenneth LaCasse of the Hardwick Wastewater Treatment Facility and Robert Wells of the Middlebury Municipal Wastewater Treatment Facility.

In Maine, EPA’s New England Office awarded the 2023 Regional Wastewater Treatment Award to the Wells Sanitary District. EPA recognized the Wells Sanitary District for exceptional work in operating and maintaining the wastewater treatment plant in 2023, even after a fire damaged the facility’s electrical system.

In Rhode Island, the New England Office distributed three awards to recognize facilities’ and individuals’ commitment to water quality.

The Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Operation and Maintenance Excellence Award went to the Burrillville Wastewater Treatment Facility. The 2023 EPA Lifetime Achievement Award went to William L. Patenaude of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, for his outstanding work after 34 years as an environmental engineer. The 2023 EPA Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator of the Year Award went to Kathy Perez of the South Kingstown Wastewater Treatment Facility for her outstanding work operating and maintaining the facility.

Lastly, in New Hampshire, the office distributed three more awards.

The 2023 EPA Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator of the Year Award recognized Nate Brown of the Peterborough Wastewater Treatment Facility for his work operating and maintaining the facility. The 2023 EPA Regional Wastewater Trainer of the Year award went to Betty Green of B Green L&P Consulting for her work as an instructor with the Granite State Rural Waster Association. The 2023 Regional Industrial Pretreatment Program Excellence Award recognized the City of Nashua Industrial Pretreatment Program for its work inspecting, permitting and sampling industrial users.