July 21, 2021
The City of Lawrence recently garnered Peak Performance Award recognition from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for both of its wastewater treatment plants.
The NACWA Peak Performance Awards recognize NACWA member agency facilities for excellence in permit compliance.
“Our treatment staff works incredibly hard to effectively and safely operate our two wastewater treatment plants 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Municipal Services & Operations Assistant Director Trevor Flynn said. “Everyone takes pride in our performance and the importance of our role for the community and the Kansas and Wakarusa Rivers. These awards wouldn’t be possible without their dedication to making Lawrence a great place to live.”
Opened in 2018, the Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant received the Gold Award for complete and consistent NPDES permit compliance in 2019. The Gold Award recognizes facilities with no permit violations for an entire calendar year.
The Kansas River Wastewater Treatment Plant, which began operations in 1956, received the Silver Award, which is presented to facilities with no more than five violations per calendar year. The Kansas River Wastewater Treatment Plant had one permit violation recorded in 2020.
The NPDES permit program addresses water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants to waters of the United States. Created in 1972 by the Clean Waters Act, the NPDES permit program is authorized to state governments by the EPA to perform many permitting, administrative and enforcement aspects of the program.
NPDES permits establish discharge limits and conditions for discharges from municipal wastewater treatment facilities to the associated water bodies.
For more information about the City’s wastewater treatment plants and the wastewater collection and treatment processes, visit the Wastewater Collection & Treatment web page.
Contact: Josh Carson, Public Information Officer, Municipal Services & Operations – jcarson@lawrenceks.org | 785-832-7822