Charleston Water System is one of approximately 240 water utilities in the nation that subscribe to the voluntary requirements of the prestigious Partnership for Safe Water program. The Partnership is a self-evaluation program sponsored by the American Water Works Association, the US EPA, and other water quality organizations designed to optimize treatment plant performance and improve water quality.
The program consists of four phases:
Phase I - Commitment to participate in the voluntary program through Phase III.
Phase II - Submit turbidity data (data must be submitted annually to maintain participation in the Partnership).
Phase III - Self-evaluation and peer review. The utility must evaluate plant processes, identify opportunities for improvement, and demonstrate actions taken to implement improvements. A comprehensive report must be submitted to the Partnership for review by a team of industry professionals. The Partnership's Directors Award is given to those utilities that submit a satisfactory report.
Phase IV (optional) - A team of water professionals completes a rigorous assessment to determine if plant operations are optimized as identified in the Partnership goals. Treatment plants that have met those goals receive the Excellence in Water Treatment Award.
Charleston Water System entered into the Partnership in December 1995 and to date has completed Phase I, II, and III; in 2003, Charleston Water System received the Directors Award for satisfactory completion of Phase III (self-assessment).
