This week EPA announced the 29 first and second place winners of the 2004 National Clean Water Act Recognition Awards during the Water Environment Federation's Technical Exposition and Conference in New Orleans, La.

This is the 19th year EPA recognized municipalities and industries for demonstrating outstanding water quality achievements for projects and programs in five award categories: operations and maintenance, biosolids management, pretreatment, storm water management and combined sewer overflow control programs.

Among the award winners was the Borough of Catasauqua in Lehigh County in the category for wastewater pretreatment programs.

The presentation of these awards helps to raise public awareness of the pollution reduction efforts that wastewater treatment plants make to improve the nation's waters. The awards program provides national recognition and encourages public support of programs that protect the public's health and safety and the nation's water quality. State water pollution control agencies and EPA regional offices make recommendations to headquarters for the national awards.

A listing of the 2004 National awards winners is available online.

10/8/2004