LTU Earns Five Awards for Safety and Water Reuse Programs

Lincoln, NE (November 23, 2021) Lincoln Transportation and Utilities (LTU) today announced its water resource recovery facilities have received five additional awards for safety and water programs. This latest recognition brings the total to eight awards LTU water facilities have won in 2021 and late 2020.

Lincoln Water System received the 2021 Utility of the Future Certificate of Recognition Award for innovative and forward-thinking practices through its water reuse program. The award was presented by the Water Environment Federation (WEF), a nonprofit technical and educational organization of 30,000 individual members and 75 affiliated Member Associations representing water quality professionals around the world.

“I am so proud of this team,” said Donna Garden, Assistant Director of Utilities. “This international award is another example of how our teammates work together to provide sustainable, efficient, and value-added services to the community. Their passion and investment in sustainable programs is unwavering.”

Lincoln’s two water resource recovery facilities reuse about two million gallons of water out of the 35 million gallons they receive each day for heating and cooling nearby buildings.

Lincoln’s water reuse program currently heats and cools the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Innovation Campus, Lincoln Electric System (LES) Terry Bundy Station, and Lincoln Wastewater System’s two water resource recovery facilities. The water reuse program is also used during typical maintenance efforts at the water resource recovery facilities.

In addition to the WEF award, Lincoln Wastewater System’s Theresa Street Water Resource Recovery Facility and Northeast Water Resource Recovery Facility each received the 2021 Nebraska Water Environmental Association Scott Wilber Award for excellence in facility operation, and maintenance of large and medium advanced municipal facilities while maintaining environmental compliance.

Both facilities also received the 2021 Nebraska Environment Association Gold Safety Awards for excellence in accident prevention and a safety program that includes training, materials, and the participation of all employees.

Prior awards include:

• Engineering News Record Regional Best Projects 2021 Water Award of Merit given to Lincoln Wastewater System for its sustainable project to turn biogas into renewable natural gas that is used as vehicle fuel. The project was completed in fall 2020 and is expected to provide $2.6 million in revenue to the wastewater facility annually. Revenue collected from local and national fuel sales is reinvested back into Lincoln Wastewater System to assist with operations and maintenance costs.
• 2020 Nebraska Water Environmental Association Scott Wilber Award given to the Lincoln Wastewater System for excellence in facility operation, and maintenance of large and medium advanced municipal facilities while maintaining environmental compliance.
• Nebraska Water Environmental Association Special Innovation Award given to Lincoln Wastewater System’s Theresa Street Facility for its work with biogas recovery and the generation of renewable natural gas to be injected into Black Hills Energy pipeline in November 2020.

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