For the ninth time since 2009, the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) has awarded Bonita Springs Utilities Inc with the Division 4 Outstanding Water Distribution Award.
The award recognizes excellence in distribution system water quality, operations records, maintenance, professionalism, safety, emergency preparedness and cross-connection control programs.
“Our operations team works extremely hard to deliver safe and reliable water service to our members,” said John R. Jenkins, BSU’s executive director, in a press release. “We’re very pleased to have their hard work recognized by the FSAWWA.”
The Florida Section of the AWWA began distributing annual Water Distribution System Awards in 1997 to recognize utilities that demonstrate high standards and integrity, naming eight winners per year based on the size of the utility operation.
BSU is a not-for-profit water and wastewater utility cooperative founded by local citizens in 1970. The member-owned utility provides service in the City of Bonita Springs, the Village of Estero, and unincorporated South Lee County.
With a service area covering 60 square miles, BSU’s distribution group is responsible for maintaining nearly 2.5 million feet of water pipe to serve its members. The distribution group also maintains over 3,600 fire hydrants and thousands of valves to provide fire protection and quickly isolate an area in the event of a line break. In addition, they inspect and maintain approximately 30,000 backflow prevention devices at customer meters to protect the integrity of BSU’s water system. BSU currently serves more than 30,000 members with an average daily water production of 10.22 million gallons.
