News Releases from Region 01

City of Manchester, N.H. Industrial Pretreatment Program Recognized for Excellence

BOSTON - The Manchester, N.H. Wastewater Treatment plant was recently honored with a "2015 Regional Industrial Pretreatment Program Excellence Award" by the US Environmental Protection Agency's New England regional office. The plant was among three facilities in New England acknowledged for exemplary industrial pretreatment program performance during 2015.

The EPA Regional Industrial Pretreatment Program Excellence Award was established to recognize and honor employees of publicly owned wastewater treatment plants for their commitment to improving water quality through outstanding oversight of its industrial users discharging to the municipal sewer system.

The pretreatment program staff in Manchester was recognized for exceptional work in inspecting, permitting and sampling its industrial users that discharge industrial waste into the City's collection system. Chris Crowley is the Pretreatment Coordinator whose efforts to provide oversight of the City's dental sector was one of the primary reasons for the award nomination. Wastewater discharged from dental offices accounts for more than half of the mercury discharged into our nation's sewer system, and efforts to reduce these discharges are important.

"The professionals operating these wastewater treatment plants, as well as the municipalities and the state environmental agencies that support them, are essential to keeping our environment and our communities healthy by protecting water quality. I am proud to acknowledge these outstanding contributions to help protect public health and water quality and give these operators the credit they deserve," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England Office.

EPA's New England office formally acknowledged the Excellence Award at the 17th Annual EPA New England Industrial Pretreatment Program Conference and at the annual New England Water Environment Association Conference in Boston.