Greer Commission of Public Works was recently awarded the 2016 Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP) Excellence Award by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) for going beyond state and federal drinking water regulations.
The objective of AWOP is to encourage water treatment plants to “voluntarily optimize” or increase water treatment techniques to protect public health. According to SCDHEC, the AWOP model is approximately 10 times better than regulatory standards and can reduce the risk of waterborne illnesses.
“Our focus has been and always will continue to be on plant optimization and producing the best possible drinking water for all of our customers and community. We hope this award proves our mission of providing high quality services to the people of Greer and surrounding areas,” said Brad Nelson, CPW Water Filter Plant Manager.
Greer CPW receives water from two raw-water reservoirs, Lake Cunningham and Lake Robinson. This recognition means CPW’s raw water treatment costs remain low and customers continue to receive top quality services. While the primary goal is to serve as a drinking water resource, the lakes also serve as a recreational resource to many fisherman and outdoor enthusiasts.
[FAST FACTS]
– SC AWOP first began in 1998
– Of the 80 surface water systems statewide, Greer CPW is one of 37 water filter plants receiving the AWOP award in 2016
– Greer CPW’s water filter plant operates 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, has 8 employees, an onsite laboratory and the capacity to treat 24 million gallons of water daily.