AMWA Announces 2021 Management Recognition Awards Honoring Water Utility Achievements and Individual Contributions

For more than two decades the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA), headquartered in Washington, D.C., has provided drinking water utility recognition programs that honor extraordinary management and stellar workforce performance.

2021 Awards

The AMWA invites all eligible utilities to apply for one of three utility management award programs for 2021. Individual awards are also presented.

All eligible utilities should submit applications by the June 18 deadline.

Distinguished panels of peer judges evaluate award applicants, and the awards will be presented at the AMWA Executive Management Conference, to be held October 3-6 in Denver. In addition, award winners receive local, national, water industry, and public utility media attention.

Utility Recognition

The association’s utility recognition program honors extraordinary management and stellar workforce performance through a progressive series of awards that any number of AMWA member utilities may win: S Gold Award for Exceptional Utility

Performance S Platinum Award for Utility Excellence S Sustainable Water Utility Management Award

Individual Recognition

The AMWA also honors individual accomplishments in the drinking water field through its President’s Award and Donald R. Boyd Award. Recipients of these awards are determined by the association’s Nominations Committee. Nominations are solicited in the summer by a bulletin from AMWA’s national office.

Award Categories

Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance

The AMWA Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance recognizes large public drinking water systems that exhibit high levels of performance in the following areas: S Product quality S Customer satisfaction S Employee and leadership development S Operational optimization S Financial viability S Community sustainability S Enterprise resiliency S Infrastructure strategy and performance S Stakeholder understanding and support S Water resource sustainability

These are the “Attributes of Effective Utility Management” that were identified in 2007 by a blue-ribbon panel of water and wastewater utility executives commissioned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), AMWA, and other water-related associations. The document was updated in 2016.

Gold Award winners also show achievement in the areas of leadership, strategic business planning, knowledge management, measurement, and continual improvement management.

All AMWA member utilities that have never won a Gold Award are eligible to apply.

Platinum Award for Utility Excellence

Like the Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance, the criteria for the Platinum Award for Utility Excellence are also based on the “Attributes of Effective Utility Management” and the “Keys to Management Success.” Applicants are expected to show progress in implementing the attributes and keys, as well as a distinctive level of management expertise and expanded utility achievement.

Three years after winning a Gold Award, member utilities are eligible to apply for the Platinum Award for Utility Excellence. Past winners of AMWA’s Platinum Award for Sustained Competitiveness Achievement are also eligible to apply.

Sustainable Water Utility Management Award

The AMWA Sustainable Water Utility Management Award, introduced in 2014, recognizes member utilities that have made a commitment to sustainable management. While there are many opportunities available to water Continued on page 66