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U.S. EPA presents prestigious national water award to Bay Area Sanitary District / Union Sanitary District placed first in nation in large wastewater pretreatment category

Release Date: 11/10/2008
Contact Information: Wendy Chavez, 415/947-4248, chavez.wendy@epa.gov

(San Francisco, Calif. -- 11/10/08) As part of the 2008 National Clean Water Act recognition awards, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Union Sanitary District in Union City, Calif., has received a first-place award for its outstanding and innovative achievements in wastewater treatment and pollution prevention.

Alexis Strauss, the EPA’s Water Division director for the Pacific Southwest region, will present the national award to the district at its board of director’s meeting Nov. 10.

“Union Sanitary District is a leader in protecting water quality through its award-winning pretreatment program focused on extensive outreach to control pollutants, such as copper, mercury, fats, oil, and grease at their source,” said Strauss. “Union has an outstanding program -- keeping our waterways clean and protecting the San Francisco Bay.”

The district provides wastewater collection, treatment and disposal services for the cities of Fremont, Newark, and Union City, and has 50 significant industrial users. The EPA recognizes Union’s pretreatment program for having extensive outreach and pollution prevention programs, a successful geographic information system, and active, positive, incentive programs.

The EPA’s pretreatment awards recognize municipalities that effectively implement a complex regulatory program that ensures industrial wastewater is being treated before entering the nation’s waters. Award recipients implement measures that go beyond the basic pretreatment program and demonstrate innovation in implementing the program.

The EPA also recognized 24 organizations across the country for demonstrating outstanding water quality achievements for projects and programs in five award categories: operations and maintenance, exemplary biosolids management, implementation and enforcement of local pretreatment programs, cost-effective stormwater controls, and combined sewer overflow controls.

The EPA-sponsored awards program is in its 23rd year, and recognizes wastewater treatment facilities and their contributions to protecting the public’s health and safety and the nation’s water quality.

For a complete list of the winners, visit: https://www.epa.gov/owm/mtb/intnet.htm and for more information on the EPA’s pretreatment program, visit: http://epa.gov/region9/water/pretreatment/index.html