Repeat win is first time in history of AWWA Florida chapter
Naples, FL (April 15, 2014) – Ave Maria Utility Company (AMUC) recently won the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Best Tasting Drinking Water contest, beating out 10 other regional finalists (listed below). This is AMUC’s second state title, and is the first time the association has named a repeat winner.
The water treatment plant was designed, built and operated by CH2M HILL for the Ave Maria Utility Company and the planned community of Ave Maria. The 1.67 million-gallons-per-day plant uses membrane softening to treat water drawn from the Lower Tamiami aquifer.
“Ave Maria Utility Company has reached the state championship three times and come away with two titles, so we’re thrilled with that average,” says CH2M HILL Project Manager Jason Vogel. “This validates our commitment to our customers that their water is on par with commercially bottled brands. AWWA’s recognition publicly confirms our dedication to quality and value, and gives our team yet another reason to be proud of the work we do each day. Membrane softening, or nanofiltration, in the case of Ave Maria, is becoming an increasingly common method of treatment and has leveled the playing field so to speak, so our competitive differentiator is a hyper-focused attention to process control.”
The American Water Works Association is the largest nonprofit, scientific and educational association dedicated to managing and treating water. With approximately 50,000 members, AWWA provides solutions to improve public health, protect the environment, strengthen the economy, and enhance quality of life.
2014 Regional Finalists
Ave Maria, Region 5 (1st place)
City of Newberry, Region 11 (2nd place)
Jacksonville Electric Authority (JEA), Region 2
Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), Region 3
City of Dunedin, Region 4
Village of Palm Springs, Region 6
City of North Miami, Region 7
Martin County, Region 8
Destin Water Users, Region 9
Sarasota County, Region 10
Note: Region 1 and Region 12 did not attend
Ave Maria Utility Company was also recently awarded the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Water Treatment Plant Operations Excellence Award in February 2014, which is presented to facilities that demonstrate a commitment to excellence in management, operations and maintenance. For more information, visit http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/facaward.htm.
ABOUT AVE MARIA:
Ave Maria is located at the intersection of Oil Well and Camp Keais Roads in Eastern Collier County. The main entrance, on Oil Well just west of Camp Keais, leads to the Town Center.
