AUB OPERATORS RECEIVE OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS

 ATHENS, Tn. — At the recent Water Professionals Conference, the Clean Water Professionals of Kentucky and Tennessee bestowed multiple awards upon operators in the wastewater division at Athens Utilities Board (AUB).

Both of AUB’s wastewater treatment plants received Operational Excellence Awards.

This marks 25 consecutive years that AUB’s North Mouse Creek treatment plant, located on Whittaker Road, has received the award and 15 years in a row for the much larger Oostanaula treatment plant on Alford Street.

“That is an amazing stretch of excellent work.   I don’t know of any other utilities or industries that have such a stellar record,” said AUB’s Wayne Scarbrough.

The North Mouse Creek plant is designed to treat 1.2 million gallons per day.  The Oostanaula plant can handle a flow of six million gallons daily with peaks of up to 15 million gallons.

The Operational Excellence Award is earned by the plant operators for strict adherence to National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Permit requirements for the latest twelve-month reporting period, requiring one or no violations.

Craig Brymer, who leads the water and wastewater divisions at AUB, credits the plant operators and their expertise and diligence year-round in running the plants as some of the best in the nation.

“Our operators simply are some of the best in the business, coast to coast.  There is no doubt about it.  Twenty-five years for the Mouse Creek plant and 15 at Oostanaula is an incredible endeavor,” Brymer said.

“I hope everyone understands what assets these guys are to the health and wellbeing of our community and communities downstream of us.

“When you watch them operate, you know they aren’t just going through the motions of a job.  They care about the local waterways and overall quality of life that we help protect as environmental stewards,” he said.