The Districts have been recognized by a number of organizations in the wastewater field.

The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) is a not-for-profit association of 7,700-plus professionals in the wastewater industry. CWEA trains and certifies wastewater professionals, disseminates technical information, and promotes sound policies to benefit society through protection and enhancement of our water environment. CWEA operates at the state level and through 17 geographical local sections. The Districts belong to the Los Angeles Basin Section (LABS). CWEA awards recognize outstanding professional achievements within the wastewater field, improve the professional status of all personnel working in the wastewater industry and related fields, and stimulate public awareness of the importance of treatment to public health and the water environment.

The American Academy of Environmental Engineers (AAEE) was founded in 1955 for the principal purpose of serving the public by improving the practice, elevating the standards, and advancing public recognition of environmental engineering. It is dedicated to excellence in the practice of environmental engineering through a specialty certification program for qualified engineers. The Academy is also an active participant in the accreditation of environmental engineering curricula. Through this process, the Academy ensures that educational standards are responsive to the needs of the professional and that tomorrow's engineers will meet the needs of the profession. The Excellence in Environmental Engineering® Competition exists to identify and award the best of today's environmental engineering. The awards are chosen by an independent panel of distinguished experts and based on a holistic environmental perspective, innovation, proven performance and customer satisfaction, and contribution to an improved quality of life and economic efficiency.

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA, formally the Association of Metropolitan Sewerage Agencies or AMSA), established in 1970, is a national organization representing the interests of the country's wastewater treatment agencies. NACWA members represent the majority of the population in the United States served by sewers, and collectively treats and reclaims more than 18 billion gallons of wastewater each day.

In addition to its important development of environmental legislation and scientifically-based environmental policy, NACWA administers the Peak Performance Awards Program that recognizes member agencies for excellence in wastewater treatment. All NACWA member agencies with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permitted wastewater treatment facilities providing at least advanced primary level treatment (with a 301(h) variance) or secondary treatment, are eligible to submit facilities for award consideration.

Treatment facilities are eligible for Gold awards if they have no numeric NPDES effluent violations during a year, and for Silver awards if they have five or fewer numeric effluent violations during a year. In addition, plants with five consecutive years of Gold awards are eligible for a Platinum award.

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CLEAN WATER AGENCIES PEAK PERFORMANCE AWARDS

Platinum	Gold	Silver
Whittier Narrows WRP, 2002	Long Beach WRP, 2006	Los Coyotes WRP, 2006
San Jose Creek-West, 2001	Los Coyotes WRP, 2005	Pomona WRP, 2006
	Long Beach WRP, 2004	San Jose Creek-West WRP, 2006
	Long Beach WRP, 2003	Saugus WRP, 2006
	Long Beach WRP, 2003	Valencia WRP, 2006
	Pomona WRP, 2003	Whittier Narrows WRP, 2006
	Pomona WRP, 2002	Long Beach WRP, 2005
	Saugus WRP, 2002	San Jose Creek-West WRP, 2005
	Long Beach WRP, 2001	Whittier Narrows WRP, 2005
	San Jose Creek-East WRP, 2001	Los Coyotes WRP, 2004
	Valencia WRP, 2001	Pomona WRP, 2004
	Valencia WRP, 2001	Whittier Narrows WRP, 2004
	Whittier Narrows WRP, 2001	Los Coyotes WRP, 2003
	San Jose Creek-West WRP, 2000	San Jose Creek-West WRP, 2003
	Saugus WRP, 2000	Saugus WRP, 2003
	Valencia WRP, 2000	Whittier Narrows WRP, 2003
	Whittier Narrows WRP, 2000	Long Beach WRP, 2002
	San Jose Creek-West WRP, 1999	San Jose Creek-East WRP, 2002
	Saugus WRP, 1999	San Jose Creek-West, 2002
	Whittier Narrows WRP, 1999	Valencia WRP, 2002
	San Jose Creek-West WRP, 1998	Los Coyotes WRP, 2001
	Whittier Narrows WRP, 1998	Pomona WRP, 2001
	Long Beach WRP, 1997	Saugus WRP, 2001
	Long Beach WRP, 1997	Long Beach WRP, 2000
	San Jose Creek-West WRP, 1997	Pomona WRP, 2000
	Saugus WRP, 1997	Long Beach WRP, 1999
	Valencia WRP, 1997	Pomona WRP, 1999
	Saugus WRP, 1996	Valencia WRP, 1999
	Pomona WRP, 1995	Long Beach WRP, 1998
	Saugus WRP, 1995	Saugus WRP, 1998
	Long Beach WRP, 1994	Valencia WRP, 1998
	Los Coyotes WRP, 1994	Los Coyotes WRP, 1997
	Pomona WRP, 1994	San Jose Creek-East, 1997
	San Jose Creek-West, 1994	San Jose Creek-West, 1997
	Long Beach WRP, 1993	Whittier Narrows WRP, 1997
	Los Coyotes WRP, 1993	Long Beach WRP, 1996
	San Jose Creek-East WRP, 1993	Los Coyotes WRP, 1996
	Pomona WRP, 1993	San Jose Creek-East, 1996
	Saugus WRP, 1993	San Jose Creek-West, 1996
		Pomona WRP, 1996
		Whittier Narrows WRP, 1996
		Long Beach WRP, 1995
		Los Coyotes WRP, 1995
		San Jose Creek-West, 1995
		Whittier Narrows WRP, 1995
		Saugus WRP, 1994
		Whittier Narrows WRP, 1994
		Whittier Narrows WRP, 1993

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RECOGNITIONS IN THE WASTEWATER FIELD FROM VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS

• Grand Prize - Operations/Management Category - Excellence in Environmental Engineering Competition for The Power of Innovation - Antelope Valley Green Energy Program from AAEE, 2006.
• Third Place - Research Achievement Award for Pilot Plant Testing of the Membrane Biological Reactor Process for the Production of High Quality Reclaimed Effluent from CWEA, 2005.
• National Environmental Achievement Award (Research and Technology) for Integrated Nitrogen Removal System Helps Valencia Water Reclamation Plant Meet Stringent Effluent Nitrogen Discharge Limits from NACWA, 2005
• Grand Prize - Research Category, Excellence in Environmental Engineering Competition, Getting the N Out , Integrating Sidestream Treatment for Nitrogen Removal from AAEE, 2004.
• First Place - Research Achievement Award for NDN Process Research at the Valencia Water Reclamation Plant for Nitrification/Denitrification from CWEA, 2003.
• Historic Civil Engineering Landmark Award for Whittier Narrows WRP from Los Angeles section of American Society of Civil Engineers, 2002.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant Safety Awards for Valencia WRP (26-75 employees) and Los Coyotes WRP (small plant) from LABS of CWEA, 1999.
• Research Achievement Award for Nitrification/Denitrification Full Scale Study at Whittier Narrows WRP from LABS of CWEA, 1999.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (San Jose Creek) from LABS CWEA, 1997.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (La Cañada) from LABS of CWEA, 1997.
• Chapter Award – Wastewater - Chlorine Containment and Treatment Facility from Southern California Chapter, American Public Works Association, 1997.
• Collection System of the Year Award (>500 miles) from LABS of CWEA, 1996.
• Governor's Environmental and Economic Partnership Award (in conjunction with Central Basin Municipal Water District) Century and Rio Hondo Water Reclamation Projects from Governor Pete Wilson, California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal EPA), 1994.
• Conservation Award, San Jose Creek Water Reclamation Plant Stage 3 (Award for efforts to conserve electricity) from Southern California Edison Company, 1993.
• Grand Prize - Operations/Management Category, Excellence in Environmental Engineering Competition, Water for a Dry Land (District's Water Reuse System) from AAEE, 1990.
• Award for Outstanding Design Effort from California Association of Reclamation Entities of Water, 1987.
• Energy Management Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Energy Conservation and Load Management for Whittier Narrows WRP from Southern California Edison Company, 1982.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (Los Coyotes) from LABS of CWEA, 1980.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (Los Coyotes) from LABS of CWEA, 1978.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (Los Coyotes) from LABS of CWEA, 1977.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (Pomona) from LABS of CWEA, 1973.
• Certificate of Recognition for Whittier Narrows WRP from Los Angeles section of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 1972.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (Whittier Narrows) from LABS of CWEA, 1971.
• Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Year (Los Coyotes) from LABS of CWEA, 1970.
• Award of Merit for Whittier Narrows WRP from American Society of Civil Engineers, 1963.

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