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Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Binnie Myles Birmingham Water Works 205-244-4220 BWWB Recognized for Management Excellence Company receives the 2012 AMWA Platinum Award for Utility Excellence  (BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – October 22, 2012) – The Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB) today, October 22, 2012, received the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies’ (AMWA) Platinum Award for Utility Excellence, a coveted award in the water utility industry. The award was presented at the AMWA’s 2012 Annual Meeting in Portland, Ore.
The Platinum Award for Utility Excellence – the AMWA’s highest award for drinking-water systems – recognizes exceptional performance based on standards reflected in the Attributes of Effective Utility Management, established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and national water associations in 2007. This marks the fifth year that the AMWA has presented its Platinum Awards for Utility Excellence; winning utilities will receive a crystal trophy at the awards program, which is held in conjunction with the AMWA’s Annual Meeting. In order to be considered for the award, applicants must submit information on their achievements in product quality; customer satisfaction; employee and leadership development; operational optimization; financial viability; infrastructure stability; operational resilience; community sustainability; water-resource adequacy; and stakeholder understanding and support. -After receiving submissions, a panel of three respected utility executives from around the country reviews and scores each application, and determines which utility will receive the award. - “We are only as strong as our employees,” said BWWB General Manager Mac Underwood. “We are very proud of the men and women of the BWWB who work tirelessly everyday to ensure that over 600,000 residents and businesses in five counties receive the best water for health; daily living; economic development and job creation; fire protection; and overall better quality of life. We believe that this award further validates our efficient operation [the BWWB has a Moody Aa2 bond rating] and unwavering commitment to our customers and the communities we serve.” During the first quarter of 2012, the BWWB updated its strategic plan by creating a comprehensive set of action items and identifying performance measures for each strategic goal. The board of directors, executive management, and managers worked together to develop, design, and build this plan, which will continue to improve the BWWB’s status as a world-class utility. The BWWB’s performance and progress have been widely recognized. For seven years, the utility has been an award-winning participant in the EPA’s Partnership for Safe Water (PSW). The BWWB’s four treatment plants have received Area-Wide Optimization Awards for meeting standards set by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). The utility participated in QualServe benchmarking in 2004, 2006, and 2009. And the BWWB has received the PSW Level 3 Five-Year Directors Awards for three of its four plants. Founded in 1951, the Birmingham Water Works serves more than 600,000 people in Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, St. Clair, and Walker counties. For more information about your Birmingham Water Works Board, please call 205-244-4000 or visit www.birminghamwaterworks.com. ###
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