Okatie, SC (March 27, 2015) – Beaufort-Jasper Water and Sewer Authority (BJWSA) received several awards at the recent South Carolina Environmental Conference, held March 15 to 17 in Myrtle Beach.
Joe Moran, a maintenance tech specialist, received the SC Maintenance Person of the Year Award, given for excellent achievement in maintenance of water, wastewater treatment plants and collection or water distribution systems in South Carolina. Nominated by Jim Arand, technical maintenance supervisor at BJWSA, Moran was cited because, “He has a great work ethic, arrives for work early, is respected by his peers, and never hesitates to perform unpleasant assigned tasks.”
Additionally BJWSA received the Facility Award of Excellence from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for all eight of its wastewater treatment plants. Those facilities are: Cherry Point, Hardeeville, Laurel Bay, Palm Key, Palmetto Bluff, Point South, Port Royal Island and St. Helena.
DHEC awards the Facility Award of Excellence to wastewater treatment plants that are striving to meet or exceed customers’ expectations in environmental protection.
While most wastewater treatment facilities discharge their treated water to a river or lake, BJWSA has been a leader in reusing reclaimed water for irrigation for the last 20 years. The Authority’s water reclamation facilities produce reclaimed water that meets very strict state and federal standards, while protecting public health and local waterways.
This ‘reclaimed’ water can be reused safely for irrigation and restoring and preserving wetlands in the Great Swamp. BJWSA’s Great Swamp Effluent Management System helps to protect 1100 acres of natural forested wetlands.
The Cherry Point and Port Royal Island Water Reclamation Facilities treat more than seven million gallons of wastewater a day that can be reused safely for irrigation. BJWSA delivers an average of three million gallons a day of reclaimed water to area golf courses from March to September. Using reclaimed water for irrigation means that less water is taken from ground water or the Savannah River.
Information about BJWSA can be found online at www.bjwsa.org.
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