Water and Pollution Control Department

National Association of Clean Water Agencies

Peak Performance Awards recognize facilities for excellence in wastewater treatment as measured by their compliance with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits.  "Gold Awards" honor treatment works that have achieved 100% compliance with their NPDES permit for an entire calendar year. 

Over the calendar year 2005, the Ames Water Pollution Control Facility measured its permit compliance against a total of 1,163 numerical permit requirements.  Over that period, the facility met every single limit.  In fact, the Ames WPC Facility has had 100% compliance with its permit from the time the plant first came on-line in November 1989!

In 2004, the Ames WPC received NACWA's "Platinum Award" in recognition of five consecutive calendar years of 100% permit compliance.  Facilities are only eligible for a "Platinum Award" once every five years.

This year, NACWA is awarding 236 Gold Awards for the entire country.  Ames has the distinction of being the only facility in Iowa to receive this award.

2007

AMES, Iowa – The City of Ames Water Pollution Control Plant has been selected to receive a Platinum-17 Peak Performance Award.  The Peak Performance Awards program, presented by the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) recognizes public wastewater treatment facilities for their outstanding compliance records.

The Platimun-17 award received by the Ames WPC Plant recognizes the facility for 17 consecutive years of 100% permit compliance with their NPDES permit, a record that extends to the initial start-up of the facility in late 1989.  According to NACWA, the compliance streak achieved by the City of Ames is the third longest in the country.

 “This award is shared by City of Ames employees from many different departments, all of whom share in our mission of protecting the public health and the environment,” says John Dunn, Director of the Ames Water and Pollution Control Department.  “In particular, it reflects on the commitment of the plant’s operations and maintenance staff.  It is very gratifying to see these individuals who have literally dedicated their professional careers to serving the citizens of Ames receive such public recognition.”

The Ames Water Pollution Control Plant is an advanced secondary treatment facility that provides wastewater treatment for over 16,000 homes and businesses in Ames.  The facility has received numerous awards, including engineering design excellence, operations and maintenance excellence, and previous Peak Performance awards.