The Partnership for Safe Water is a voluntary program sponsored by the US EPA, AWWA, and other water organizations to help utilities improve water quality by optimizing operations.
Charleston Water joined the Partnership in 1995, received the prestigious Director’s Award in 2004, and was awarded the Five-Year Director’s Award in June 2008. Only 142 utilities nationwide have received this award!
Some 240 utilities nationwide participate in the program, which has four phases of achievement: collection of turbidity data (a measure of the cloudiness of water), a self-assessment evaluation, and a peer review.
DHEC's Area Wide Optimization Program (AWOP)
On the state level, the Department of Health and Environmental Control sponsors a program similar to the national Partnership program.
It's called the Area Wide Optimization Program, or AWOP, and the goal is to support utilities in improving disinfection and particle removal for the benefit of public health.
Every year, DHEC recognizes water plants that go beyond the requirements of EPA regulations for drinking water. Charleston Water System was awarded this recognition in 2003 and again in 2007 for the performance of the Hanahan Water Treatment Plant.
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Learn more about AWOP |
