Each year, PNCWA has the opportunity to recognize exemplary people and projects in our industry. This year, during the Annual Conference Opening General Session and Awards Luncheon, 17 awards were given out, in addition to 9 student scholarships.
Congratulations to all of this year’s awardees on their accomplishments!
The Goal of the PNCWA Awards Committee is to recognize the excellence and dedication of water professionals in our area by soliciting nominations and presenting the PNCWA and WEF Awards at our Annual Conference.
The Committee highlights the achievements and commitment of people in this industry, and we continue to need your help. Each year, we rely on your nominations, and when awards are given, we appreciate you spreading the word, within the Association membership and externally to local media, governance, and the public. Our award recipients deserve to be celebrated for their hard work!
The Awards Committee highlights the achievements and dedication of the people in this industry. Each year, the committee relies on your nominations, and when the awards are given, we need your help in getting the word out to local media and stakeholders. These award recipients have done great work, which should be recognized outside of our association, especially since the benefits extend to everyone.
| Award | Recipient |
| Arthur Sidney Bedell Award (WEF-PNCWA Award) | Mark Poling, Clean Water Services |
| George W. Burke, Jr. Award (WEF–PNCWA Award) | City of Vancouver, WA (Jacobs) |
| Laboratory Analyst Excellence Award (WEF–PNCWA Award) | Kayla Brown, Jacobs (Vancouver Project) |
| William D. Hatfield Award (WEF–PNCWA Award) | Justine Abrook, Clean Water Services |
| Individual Distinguished Achievement Award (PNCWA Award) | Aaron Camp, Coeur d'Alene, ID |
| Lyman Ketcham Award (PNCWA Award) | Jeff Schmidt, Jacobs |
| Municipal Water Protection Award (PNCWA Award) | Georgetown Wet Weather Treatment Station, King County, WA |
| Sustainability Award (PNCWA) | Tri-City Solids Handling Capacity Improvements (Clackamas WES, OR) |
| Innovative Stormwater Award (PNCWA) | Butternut Creek, Clean Water Services |
| Stormwater Professional Excellence Award (PNCWA) | shhh, it's a secret |
| Outstanding Young Water Environment Professional of the Year (PNCWA) | Jamie Hughes, Clean Water Services |
| Woman of the Year (PNCWA) | Laurie Pierce, Pierce County, WA |
| Excellence in Resource Recovery Award | Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission Renewable Natural Gas (Eugene-Springfield, OR) |
| Watermark | The Watershed Vision Book, City of Boise, ID |
Hank Erbele has been awarded the 2021 PNCWA Oregon Region Excellence in Service Award, which recognizes those who have given truly outstanding service in one or more of the following aspects of the water quality industry: providing leadership in Section, Region, or Member Associations, delivering conference teaching, and impacting operator training, including the development of training courses that advance the knowledge of water quality operators. Hank has served in various leadership roles in the Oregon Region and Oregon’s West Central Operators Section for about 20 years. Congratulations, Hank!
After months of rescheduling because of COVID-19 restrictions, the Mayor of the City of Pendleton, the Public Works Director, and the Oregon Region surprised Jeff Brown with the Oregon Region’s Excellence in Service Award. This is awarded to honor those who have given truly outstanding service in one or more of the following aspects of the water quality industry; providing leadership in the Section, Region, or Member Association, delivering conference teaching and operator training, including the development of training courses that advance the knowledge of water quality operators.
Jeff has served in the following leadership capacities:
The Awards Committee highlights the achievements and dedication of the people in this industry. Each year, the committee relies on your nominations, and when the awards are given, we need your help in getting the word out to local media and stakeholders. These award recipients have done great work, which should be recognized outside of our association, especially since the benefits extend to everyone.
Click here to learn more about the 2020 award winners.
What you need to before you nomination a person or project, here.
Know a person, project, or organization who accomplished something incredible this year? Please read below:
WEF-PNCWA Awards nominations are now being accepted,
Each year the PNCWA and its membership gather to celebrate achievements in and service to the Water Quality field.
Announcing the 2018 Call for PNCWA Awards Nominations
The Awards Committee is seeking your help to elevate the prominence and prestige of the PNCWA and WEF Awards, so they are viewed as highly regarded, treasured, and respective of the excellent water professionals receiving the awards and recognitions.
Each year, PNCWA’s membership honors and recognizes excellence in the clean water industry. The mission of the awards program is to facilitate and promote the recognition of professionals involved in supporting, operating, or managing wastewater collection systems, stormwater systems, or wastewater treatment/water resource recovery facilities in the Pacific Northwest. Here are the 2017 PNCWA Awardees as determined by the PNCWA Awards Committee:
The Arthur Sidney Bedell Award
The Bedell Award was established to acknowledge extraordinary personal service to a WEF Member Association. The award is named for Arthur Sidney Bedell, WEF's second president for his long devotion and service to the New York Sewage and Industrial Wastes Association, now the New York Water Environment Association. He was Chief of the Bureau of Sewage and Waste Disposal of the New York State Department of Health.
Each year, PNCWA’s membership honors and recognizes excellence in the clean water industry. The mission of the awards program is to facilitate and promote the recognition of professionals involved in supporting, operating, or managing wastewater collection systems, stormwater systems, or wastewater treatment/water resource recovery facilities in the Pacific Northwest. The awards will be presented at our annual conference in Vancouver, Washington this October. Recipients of the 2016 PNCWA awards can be viewed here.
The Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for 2017. Awards categories include individual, group and project recognition. You must be a PNCWA member in order to nominate anyone for awards (except the Safety Awards or OYA/COYA Awards). Nominations close July 28, 2017. To view all PNCWA awards and criteria, click here.
Every year, high school science students from around the country compete in WEF’s Stockholm Junior Water Prize, which aims to increase students’ interest in water-related issues and research and to raise awareness about global water challenges. The winners from around the country go on to compete in the national competition, which this year is June 16-17 at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Students create projects aimed at improving of water quality, water resources management, water protection, and drinking water and wastewater treatment. PNCWA is thrilled to announce the regional winners: Bryan To (Oregon), Apoorv Khandelwal (Washington) and Ari Carter (Idaho).
