Louisville water, wastewater teams win regional awards

The City of Louisville's water and wastewater teams recently returned from the 2026 Rocky Mountain Water Conference with six awards from the Rocky Mountain Section of the American Water Works Association (RMSAWWA) and Rocky Mountain Water Environment Association (RMWEA).

Louisville's Water Treatment team received RMSAWWA’s Outstanding Water Treatment Plant Award, which considers plant performance, regulatory compliance, finished water quality, and teamwork. This was Louisville's second consecutive year receiving this award.
 
The Water Treatment team also received the Wendell R. LaDue Utility Safety Award, which considers safety performance over the previous six years and recognizes the ongoing effort to prioritize safety. Water Treatment Plant Operator Max McPike received the Ralph M. Leidholdt Water Treatment Plant Operator Award for his work to improve treatment efficiency and reduce chemical consumption, resulting in operational cost savings for the City. Plant Operator Isaiah Biermann received the Water Treatment Plant Maintenance Award.

Plant Operator Jeff Owens received RMWEA’s Plant Maintenance Award for their leadership in implementing the Critical Rating and Evaluation Asset Protocol (CREAP). This effort identified and evaluated more than 1,200 pieces of treatment plant equipment, giving staff better information to prioritize maintenance, prepare budgets, and plan equipment replacements. Lastly, Louisville's Wastewater Treatment team received RMWEA’s Plant Performance Award, recognizing the combined efforts of plant management and operations staff in maintenance, operations, and public relations.