Protecting Public Health and the Environment

Leading the way in water quality management

Awards

2022​ A​wards Book – Learn about the Award Recipients​ ​
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Past Recipients – Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers – As of 2021​

Deadline for Awards: November ​​1st

View Awards Committee Information

NYWEA members are eligible to receive special recognition for professional achievements in the field of water quality and for individual service to the Association on a local, state or national level. Awards are presented at the annual meeting each year, or at your local chapter throughout the year. Please note the Water Environment Federation also has an awards program. For more information visit wef.org.

  1. News Release Information Form; please fill out this form if you are receiving an award.
  2. Nomination Book (updated June 2022)
  3. Hall of Fame Inductees
  4. Past Award Recipients 19912019
  5. Sample Nomination Package

Awards Listing – SUBMIT a Nomination for 2024

Note: You will only have one opportunity to create and finish this nomination. Please have your materials ready before you begin. If you close out of this form before you hit the final submit button, (“Complete this Award Nomination”) or if you remain on any form or review page for more than 20 minutes (even if you are typing), your work will be lost.

Association Service Awards

1. John Chester Brigham Award

Awarded to an Association Member who has shown leadership in Association activities, including committee service, member recruitment, conference organization, or performed some other outstanding service for the association. 

2. Robert M. MacCrea Award​

This award commemorates the service of Robert M. MacCrea, and is awarded to a sales representative who has made a significant contribution to the Association. It is awarded as merit dictates.  

3. Jane Ork Award

This award is given annually  to a member who has made substantial and meaningful contributions to help further the mission of the Government Affairs Committee and to advance the recognition and efforts of the Association in the State Legislature and among regulatory agencies.

4. Young Professionals Service Award​

This award is given annually to acknowledges an Association Member 35 years of age or younger who has shown leadership and involvement in Association activities and advanced the Young Professionals Committee mission.

5. Outstanding Student Service Award

This award is given annually to recognize an Association Student Member who has shown exceptional leadership and/or involvement in the promotion of NYWEA activities in their High School, NYWEA Student Chapter, Professional Chapter, Association, and/or Federation. 

6. Association Student Chapter Service Award​

This award recognizes Student Members who has shown leadership and involvement in a NYWEA Student Chapter and can be given to one member of each active student chapter.

Beneficial Use of Biosolids Award

1. Beneficial Use of Biosolids Award

This award recognizes significant contributions in the development and implementation of cost-effective, environmentally safe, and publicly acceptable biosolids beneficial use practices which recycle nutrients, improve soil conditions, or otherwise conserve valuable natural resources.

Elected Official Awards

1. Nelson A. Rockefeller Award

This award recognizes an elected official at the City (population over 250,000), State, or National level who has made a substantial and meaningful contribution to advancing effective environmental programs.

2. Frank E. Van Lare Award

This award recognizes a locally-elected official at the County, City, Town or Village level who has made a substantial and meaningful contribution to advancing effective water quality environment programs.

Environmental Science and Management Awards 

1. Emmeline Moore Award

This award is given annually to an Association Member who has made a significant impact in the area of water quality management, environmental engineering and/or water and sewer infrastructure development. 

2. Environmental Science Award​

This award is given annually to an Association Member for their significant contribution to the field of environmental science in the water environment field. 

3. Environmental Engineer Award

This award is given annually to an Association Member working in consulting or government, who has made a significant impact in the area of environmental engineering and management.

4. Sustainability Award​

This award honors an organization that has instituted policies and practices recognizing the need for long term preservation of assets, human capital, and natural resources while satisfying present day needs, societal goals and its environmental mandate. Honorees will demonstrate success in developing a culture that encourages and rewards ‘triple bottom-line’ decision making at all levels and departments of the organization. 

Municipal and Industrial Achievement Awards

1. Municipal Achievement Award

This award recognizes municipalities that have made a major contribution to effective environmental management by instituting programs to protect and enhance environmental conditions, particularly of the water environment, by providing the proper institutional setting to allow and guarantee responsible management and oversight, by professional management and by providing adequate financial support. This is not a wastewater facility award; it includes all activities at facilities impacting on the water environment (i.e., stormwater, wastewater, run-off, solid waste, toxics, air pollution, etc.).

2. Industrial Achievement Award​

This award recognizes those industries that have made a corporate commitment to providing the necessary resources and to establish managerial responsibility for effective environmental management at company facilities. This award recognizes an industry’s commitment of financial, technical, and management resources to meet water quality goals, and has made this objective a responsibility at all management levels. It includes all environmental areas (i.e., storm water, wastewater, solid waste, toxics and air pollution).

Public Education and Outreach Awards

1. Public Education Award

The Public Education Award recognizes Association Members for significant accomplishments in prompting awareness and understanding of water environment issues among the members and general public through the development and implementation of public education programs. There are two categories: Individual and Organizations.  

2. Robert D. Hennigan Water Hero Award

This award, given annually, is inspired by Robert D. Hennigan’s leadership as Executive Director of the NY Water Environment Association and it recognizes and celebrates members who have made significant contributions to water quality.

Safety Awards

1. Ernest R. Carroll Safety Aw​ard

This award is given annually to an Association Member for “significant contributions in the field of safety.

2. Collection Systems Safety Award

This award, given annually, recognizes outstanding safety activities, programs, and accomplishments in the field of wastewater collection systems.  

3. Alfred J. Schmidt Wastewater Treatment Facility Safety Award​

This award is presented annually to recognize outstanding safety activities, programs and accomplishments at a wastewater treatment facility.​

Technical Papers Awards 

1. Kenneth Allen Memorial Award

This award is given annually for papers or presentations describing work of a research or engineering nature and can include multiple co-authors. 

2. Linn H. Enslow Memorial Award

This award is given annually for papers or presentations describing work of a research or engineering nature.

3. Charles Agar Memorial Award

This award is given annually to a member for papers and/or presentations concerning wastewater management, which is not of a research and engineering nature, but rather deals with public education or general water quality. 

4. Lewis Van Carpenter Memorial Award

This award recognizes papers and/or presentations describing operations work in the field of wastewater treatment, authored by operations personnel.  

Wastewater Facility Operations Awards

1. Uhl T. Mann Award

These awards are given to individuals by the Association for excellence in treatment plant operations and maintenance. There are five awards categories, based on plant flows: 0.0 – 0.5 MGD, 0.6 – 1.0 MGD, 1.1 – 10.0 MGD, 10.1 – 50.0 MGD, and  over 50 MGD and can be given for operations or maintenance. 

2. Milton T. Hill Award

This award recognizes an individual for outstanding contributions to the education and training of wastewater utility personnel.

3. Outstanding Operator of the Year Award

Awarded to a frontline individual who has demonstrated extraordinary dedication in the day to day operation of a water resource recovery utility, and/or successful solution to a problem, and/or contributions to the wastewater field. One award is presented per Chapter annually.

4. Collection System Operation & Maintenance Award

Recognizes a municipal or public authority wastewater collection system.

5. Collection System Operator Award

Recognizes an individual for an outstanding contribution to the evaluation, rehabilitation, design, or construction of collection facilities. 

Humanitarian Assistance Award  

This award recognizes outstanding leaders (individuals and organizations) who demonstrate a strong commitment and direct action to humanitarian assistance efforts by promoting and creating opportunities in the water sector in order to overcome challenges, both locally and internationally.  

NYWEA Hall of Fame 

1. Hall of Fame Nomination

The Hall of Fame honors NYWEA Members who have made extraordinary contributions to the Association and the environmental profession. 

Honorary Society Awards

1. Golden Manhole Society Award

Nomination to this society recognizes collection system personnel who contribute in outstanding measure to the operation and maintenance of sanitary, storm and combined sewer systems.

Lea​rn More  Past recipie​nts List​ 

2. Select Society of Sanitary Sludge Shovelers Award

Nomination to this society recognizes wastewater treatment and collection system personnel who contribute in outstanding measure to the control of water pollution. 

Learn More  Past recipients List