Stockholm (09 June 2015) – CH2M, a Colorado-based global
service and engineering company, has been named the winner of the 2015
Stockholm Industry Water Award, for developing and advancing methods to
clean water, and increasing public acceptance of recycled water.
“CH2M has long recognized that our global community cannot afford to
use water once and dispose of it—fresh water sources are too precious
and growing more scarce. We are proud to receive the 2015 Stockholm
Industry Award for our leadership in the evolution and acceptance of
purifying wastewater effluent to create drinking water,” said Greg
McIntyre, CH2M Global Water Business Group President.
CH2M has invented, implemented and refined methods for cleaning used
water back to drinking water quality. But, since this water is only
valuable if people actually use it, the firm has put significant and
successful effort into building public understanding and acceptance.
They pioneered the application of social science research to better
understand the underlying reasons for why people reject the notion of
reuse and what might be done to change that mindset. This research,
combined with demonstrations, education and transparency has dispelled
myths around use of treated wastewater and paved the way for a surge in
interest in and acceptance of potable reuse.
“Our planet does not hold any enormous, unknown sources of fresh
water. We have to live with what we have. With growing populations and
more unreliable precipitation patterns, it is essential to increase our
reuse of water in the future,” says SIWI’s Executive Director Torgny
Holmgren, and adds: “CH2M has understood this. In working for public
acceptance of drinking treated wastewater, they have taken a step beyond
engineering, and shown impressive commitment to wise water management.”
“Through rigorous testing and analysis of both technical processes
and societal perceptions, CH2M has created the opportunity to close the
urban water loop,” states the Award Committee in their citation.
CH2M’s first notable success in wastewater recycling came in the
1960s, when CH2M pioneered the third, advanced stage of effluent
treatment by successfully removing excess phosphorous, nitrogen and
trace metals, restoring the used water of the South Tahoe Public Utility
to pristine purity. Through a series of improvements, tests and
large-scale implementation, the technology of treating used water back
to drinking water quality was further refined to increase reliability,
efficiency, and sustainability.
In the 1970s, CH2M designed the world’s first surface water indirect
potable reuse plant, improving the water quality for more than one
million people in northern Virginia—raising the bar for cost-effective
wastewater treatment.
“CH2M was founded out of a deep belief that engineering technology
could make the world a better place. While technological innovation is
an important part of our contribution to water reuse, many of the
pivotal water reuse milestones would not have been built if the public
had not accepted them. Through technology and innovative public
education tools, we will continue to contribute to a more sustainable
water future,” said Brock McEwen, CH2M’s Global Water Technology
Director.
CH2M continued to evolve water reuse practices and in the early 2000s
worked with Singapore’s national water agency, to not only prove the
safety of potable reuse, but to win public acceptance with the country’s
NEWater project. By combining state-of-the-art technology and public
education tools, unprecedented public acceptance of water reuse was
achieved.
“In a rapidly urbanizing world where the vast majority of sewage
spills untreated out into the environment, the transformative
technologies and strategic communication of this year’s SIWA winner has
provided a significant step towards future water security of cities.”
the Award Committee concludes.
SIWA – recognizing water excellence in the business world
The Stockholm Industry Water Award (SIWA) was established in
2000 to stimulate and celebrate outstanding and transformative water
achievements by companies in improving production, managing risks,
finding solutions and contributing to wise water management. The Royal
Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences (IVA) and the World Business
Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) were partners in
establishing the award, which is also supported by International Water
Association (IWA) and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
