City Water Reuse Project receives 2nd EPA award
The City of Bartlesville has won a second award for an ongoing project to expand the supply of potable water for Bartlesville and surrounding communities.
The city announced Tuesday it has been selected as the first Oklahoma recipient of an exceptional project award from Environmental Protection Agency’s George F. Ames Performance and Innovation in the SRF Creating Environmental Success Program (PISCES).
The award recognizes the city’s Water Reuse Project, which involves installation of a pump station at the Bartlesville Wastewater Treatment Plant and pipeline to transport the plant’s treated water to the Caney River, just south of the bridge at Country Road West 1500.
“The nomination is based on the city's funding from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund and an evaluation of the project's ability to meet certain criteria. The award we have received for the water reuse project is for 'Excellence in Problem Solving,’” said Terry Lauritsen, Bartlesville water utilities director, in a statement.
Once complete, the $8.2 million project will allow the city to augment the yield of the Caney River, one of its primary sources of water, with treated wastewater.
The project was nominated for the EPA award by Tonya White, the marketing and outreach manager for the Oklahoma Water Resources Board.
“Congratulations to you and those involved in the recognition of your forward thinking and creative approach. This national platform will expose other systems to solutions which may not have been previously considered,” White said in a statement.
In December, the city was awarded the OWRB Water for 2060 Excellence Award for the same project.
As a regional water supplier, Bartlesville is currently poised to experience a water supply gap in the next 15 years based on current water resources and expected growth in water demand, according to city documents.
The water reuse project is expected to more than fill anticipated gaps, providing 30% to 75% of current water supply needs and expanding the resources of Hulah Lake, another of the city’s primary water sources, by 25 years. It will also increase the resilience and reliability of Bartlesville’s water supply system, according to city documents.
The more than $8.2 million project is being funded with a combination of grants, low interest loans and water capital investment fees paid by utility customers.
In December, the Bartlesville City Council awarded Paragon a contract to construct the pipeline part of the project, a process expected to take 15 months. The project is expected to be operational by June 2023.
This article originally appeared on Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise: City Water Reuse Project receives 2nd EPA award
