North Carolina environmental officials recently announced that fifty-six water systems are being honored for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards.
The facilities received the N.C. Area Wide Optimization Award from the state environmental department. The awards are part of an initiative to enhance the performance of existing surface water treatment facilities.
A “Gold Star” honor was given to facilities that have received the award for ten or more consecutive years. Those facilities are Newton, Two Rivers Utilities in Gastonia, Lincolnton, and Marion.
While all drinking water systems have to meet strict state and federal drinking water standards, the following systems met performance goals that are significantly more stringent. The award winners for 2015 are:
- Town of Burnsville
- Town of Weaverville – Ivy River
- City of Morganton – Catawba
- City of Concord – Hill Grove
- City of Lenoir
- City of Hickory
- City of Newton
- Town of Andrews
- Two Rivers Utilities
- City of Belmont
- City of Mount Holly
- City of Cherryville
- Town of Robbinsville – Tallulah
- City of Waynesville – Allens Creek
- Maggie Valley Sanitary District
- City of Hendersonville
- City of Statesville
- Town of Mooresville – Plant 2
- City of Lincolnton
- Lincoln County
- City of Marion
- Charlotte Water – Franklin
- Charlotte Water – Lee S. Duke
- Charlotte Water – Vest
- Salisbury-Rowan
- Broad River Water Authority
- Town of Norwood
- Town of Boone
- Town of Wilkesboro
- City of Thomasville
- Davidson Water Inc. – Gregg W. Stabler
- City of Winston Salem – R.A. Thomas
- Town of Louisburg
- City of Asheboro – W.L. Brown
- City of Eden – Robert A. Harris
- City of Mayodan
- Town of Madison
- City of Mount Airy – F.G. Doggett
- City of Mount Airy – S.L. Spencer
- Henderson-Kerr Lake Regional Water Authority
- Town of Pittsboro
- Fayetteville PWC – Glenville
- Harnett County Department of Public Utilities
- Johnston County – West
- City of Sanford
- Orange Water & Sewer Authority
- Orange – Alamance
- City of Hamlet
- City of Raleigh – E.M. Johnson
- City of Raleigh – D.E. Benton
- Town of Cary
- Brunswick Co – Northwest
- Cape Fear Public Utility Authority-Wilmington
- Greenville Utilities Comm – Charles Horn
- Piedmont Triad Regional – John F. Kime
- Johnston County – East