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Auburn, Maine Sewerage District Recognized for Excellence

Release Date: 10/18/2006
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017

(Boston, Mass. – Oct. 18, 2006) – The Auburn, Maine Sewerage District (ASD) was recently selected by the U.S. EPA for a National First Place Award in the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) Control category as part of the annual 2006 U.S. EPA Clean Water Act Recognition Awards selection process.

The staff is being recognized by EPA for outstanding work related to on-going activities related to its collection system and its overall commitment to improving water quality. Auburn is among four facilities in New England acknowledged for exemplary performance in the wastewater and collection system field, with all four winning First Place in their respective categories on a national level.

ASD has worked with the City of Auburn to aggressively implement CSO separation projects. Thus far, ASD has spent $12.5 million on CSO abatement projects separating 58,000 linear feet of combined sewer and eliminating five CSOs. The net result is that the percentage of combined sewers has been reduced from 25 percent to approximately 12 percent. CSOs have decreased significantly to where in a typical year ASD will experience approximately 25 discharges totaling 5 million gallons. This is approximately a 95 percent reduction in overflow volumes which places ASD ahead of schedule. Continuing with its aggressive abatement, ASD is presently implementing separation projects that will allow them to eliminate three more CSOs within the next five years and estimate eliminating the last three remaining CSOs by the end of the 15-year abatement schedule.

ASD’s General Manager Normand Lamie and his staff, John Storer, District Engineer, Andy Farris, Lead Operator, and Craig Millett, Assistant Lead Operator, are acknowledged for their professional commitment and resourcefulness in addressing CSOs within its collection system.

“The professionals overseeing the collection system play a crucial role ensuring that our lakes and rivers are protected from unnecessary pollution,” said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office. “The individuals who oversee these collection systems, and the municipalities that support them, are key to keeping our environment healthy. We are proud to give them the credit they deserve.”

The U.S. EPA Clean Water Act Recognition Awards were established to recognize and honor the employees of publicly owned wastewater treatment plants for their commitment to improving water quality not only with outstanding operation and maintenance, but also through a combination of continued permit compliance, effective financial management, on-going operator training, and collection system improvements. More often than not and particularly with the smaller facilities, conscientious operators and staff continue to perform exceptionally with limited resources.

ASD will be honored during the annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference (WEFTEC) that will be held in Dallas, Texas from Oct. 21-25, 2006. In addition, the Auburn Sewerage District will be recognized at the January 2007 New England Water Environment Association Awards Luncheon in Boston.

More information: Waste water permits in New England (epa.gov/region1/npdes/index.html)

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