Halton Region first municipality in Canada to receive prestigious award for drinking water quality

The American Water Works Association (AWWA) has presented Halton Region with the Directors Award, recognizing an outstanding commitment to high drinking water quality and treatment. Of the 250 water service providers and 400 treatment plants that belong to the international Partnership for Safe Water Program, the region is the first municipality in Canada to receive this prestigious award.

“Halton Region continually meets and exceeds Provincial drinking water standards and this achievement is a testament to our track record,” said Halton regional chair Gary Carr.

“The Partnership for Safe Water is an important part of our commitment to ensuring we continue to provide residents and businesses with reliable access to the best possible drinking water. I would like to commend our incredible water treatment team for this important accomplishment and thank them for their dedication to quality, continuous improvement and for delivering this critical service each and every day.”

The AWWA program is a collaboration of six drinking water organizations with a mission to improve water quality through the optimization of water system operations. Since Halton Region joined the Partnership in 2016, Regional staff have been using the processes and tools provided by the program to optimize plant performance and deliver high quality drinking water beyond regulatory requirements. The award specifically recognizes the achievements of the Burlington, Burloak and Oakville Water Treatment Plants.

“The Ontario Water Works Association commends the Region and its staff for their commitment to the Partnership, to its ongoing optimization efforts, and to providing customers with the highest quality drinking water possible,” said Michele Grenier, executive director of the Ontario Water Works Association, the Ontario section of the AWWA.

Halton Region operates 12 water treatment facilities and delivers over 65 million cubic metres of drinking water to residents and business every day.