The Bowling Green Municipal Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant received the Operational Excellence Award for the sixth consecutive year from the Kentucky/Tennessee Water Environment Association for 2013.

The award is given to publicly owned and industrial wastewater treatment facilities that have achieved permit compliance during the previous calendar year by having no more than one violation of their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit. Each qualifying facility must present written documentation, and the appropriate state agency will be asked to confirm the applicant’s overall regulatory compliance.

Twelve employees operate the plant. All operators receive certification by the State Division of Water in the wastewater field. Additionally, eight employees provide maintenance at the water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities, distribution pump stations, tanks and collection system pump stations. A 22-member team, based at the Water/Wastewater Crew Quarters, performs system repairs, construction and maintenance.

The Wastewater Treatment Plant was built in 1964 and received renovations in 1976, 1992 and most recently in 2012. Plant capacity is now 12 million gallons per day, and average flow is 8 million gallons a day.