Wastewater agency honored for environmental excellence

South Orange County Wastewater Authority has been honored by the National Assn. of Clean Water Agencies with its most prestigious honor, the Platinum Peak Performance Award, given to only a few other wastewater agencies nationwide. The award recognized the Authority’s flawless five-year record of 100 percent environmental compliance at its Aliso Creek Outfall.

The outfall, located offshore from Aliso Beach, transports treated wastewater from four treatment plants that serve residents of Laguna Beach, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills and Lake Forest. Each day, approximately 16 million gallons of treated wastewater are discharged via the Aliso Creek Outfall pipeline, which reaches nearly a mile and a half out into the Pacific Ocean, ending about 200 feet below the ocean’s surface.

“At SOCWA, we know that the work we do is tremendously important in terms of beach water quality and marine health,” said Tom Rosales, general manager for the Wastewater Authority. “It is performance like this that helped Laguna’s beaches be recognized last month by the Natural Resources Defense Council as some of the best in the nation because they rarely violate state bacteria standards.”

Only 15 agencies throughout the United States received the Platinum Peak Performance award, and South Orange County Wastewater was one of only two wastewater districts recognized with more than one treatment plant, according to a press statement.

For more information about South Orange County Wastwater Authority and the Peak Performance award, visit www.SOCWA.com and www.NACWA.org.