Awards

Environmental
Impact Statement

Horse Creek

Authority Wins Environmental Stewardship Award
The Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority received one of eight national environmental excellence awards from the National Association of Environmental Professionals (NAEP).

The award, presented in the environmental stewardship category, recognized the Authority’s role in developing and implementing the Peace River Option by combining innovative technology, sound engineering, a concern for maintaining existing natural resources and a comprehensive monitoring program. The Authority’s ability to provide a water supply system that meets the needs of both an emerging population and increasingly sensitive environmental resources was also recognized.

Furthermore, the Peace River Option was cited as an obvious example of outstanding environmental stewardship because it integrates federal and state agency regulatory requirements, community and infrastructure development, environmental sensitivity and needs, public issues and concerns, and recreation and commercial interests into a long-term functioning system.

“The Peace River Option utilizes the Peace River and aquifer storage and recovery technology to supply safe and affordable drinking water to over 100,000 people in southwest Florida,” says Ray Pilon, governmental affairs coordinator for the Authority.

Additionally, “...the project preserves groundwater supplies in an area of critical concern and reduces saltwater intrusion while protecting the downstream Charlotte Harbor estuary,” says Samuel Stone, the Authority’s environmental affairs coordinator.

NAEP is a non-profit professional association of some 5,000 environmental professionals representing public and private sectors throughout the United States and internationally. Each year the organization conducts the National Environmental Excellence Awards competition, singling out projects and programs that model excellence in the environmental profession, meet or exceed stringent award criteria and stand out as significant contributions. This year’s awards were presented at the organization’s annual conference held in Washington, D.C.

Authority Recognized for Water Taste/Quality
The Authority recently was acknowledged for providing the best tasting water in its region, which included Hardee, Manatee, Sarasota, DeSoto and Charlotte counties. Although it didn’t take home top honors from the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association, it received high marks in all categories.