Orange County Sanitation District Wins Prestigious State Award Page 1 of 3

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Orange County Sanitation District Wins In This Issue

Prestigious State Award Our pride is

contagious!
Our employees
If pride is contagious -get up close to our amazing employees! We've
always had great pride in the job we do to protect the public's health Peter picks a problem
and environment. And now, we are being honored as the California
Water Environment Association Plant of the Year. We've gotten even Leyla lays down the
more excited to come to work each day. law
Ernie's winning smile

Fountain Valley Plant named best wastewater Quick Links

treatment plant in the State

The Orange County Sanitation District's

Fountain Valley water reclamation plant
received the prestigious statewide California
Water Environment Association "Plant of the
Year" award for 2010 in the large plant
category.

The award, conferred April 15 at the CWEA

Annual Conference in Ontario, recognizes the
District's facility for permit compliance,
innovative practices, cost effectiveness, and Protecting the Public
superior plant operations. The District prevailed Health and the
over other regional award winning facilities from Environment
throughout California that treat more than
Employee Ray twenty millions gallons of wastewater per day.
Navarro
Read more.

Our winning employees

California Film
Festival Winner -
Each day our 600 men and women employees Wastewater 101
pour their heart into their work with little
attention and even fewer accolades.

From plant operators, to accountants, to

engineers and mechanics, source control
inspectors to administration staff - we work
hard to ensure you don't have to think about
us! Most people in the world don't have that
luxury. 2010
Sanitation District Awards
The sad fact is that more people in the world Distinguished Budget
have cell phones than access to a toilet. Presentation Award by the

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Orange County Sanitation District Wins Prestigious State Award Page 2 of 3

Governmental Finance
Emilio Ariston Officers Association
Please take a minute to read about just a few Mechanical
of our fabulous employees. Their hard work, Technician of the Plant of the Year California
professionalism, creativity and talent are Year Water Environment
responsible for us being named CWEA 2010 Association Reclamation
Plant of the Year. Plant No. 1

Plant of the Year Santa Ana

River Basin Section
Peter picks a problem Reclamation Plant No. 1

SARBS Mechanic of the

"There is an old saying, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Year (local level) - Emilio
That's exactly what happened in my case." Ariston

Achievement of Excellence
in Procurement Award by
Peter Cheffs saw a problem. The the California Association of
Collection Facilities O&M staff performs Public Procurement
Officials
line cleaning and other maintenance
work in the sewer lines of OCSD's Excellence in Information
service area. Trucks, equipped with an Technology Practices by
arrow board and illuminated with the Municipal Information
Systems Association of
incandescent light bulbs, warn California
oncoming traffic that employees are
performing work in the street. Safety Achievement Award
by the American Water
Works Association
The power to light the arrow board Gold Peak Performance
Peter Cheffs Collections bulbs is supplied by the alternator of a Award by the National
running engine. In a normal day, the Association of Clean Water
Agencies - for both OCSD
truck engine runs for eight hours to Reclamation Plant No. 1
supply power to the arrow board. The arrow board can only be moved and Treatment Plant No. 2
90 degrees; so, at times, a second truck is necessary to provide
protective services when the working truck is turned so the arrow
board faces oncoming traffic. Peter thought of a way to cut costs and
protect the environment.

Read more.

Leyla lays down the law

"We insist that our contractors strive to be good neighbors, and
build relationships with the local community."

Senior Environmental Specialist Leyla Perez

is our biosolids inspector. She inspects and
trains the truck drivers on our requirements
and serves as the liaison between the
operators and contractors.

She audits the preventive maintenance

programs required for all contractors and
ensures they meet those standards. Leyla
conducts periodic safety checks and one-on-
one training of drivers in both English and
Spanish to help ensure our biosolids safely
reach their final destination.
Leyla Perez Biosolids
We insist that our contractors minimize the Inspector
odor and reduce the impacts on neighbors
near our sites. It is critical that our contractors

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Orange County Sanitation District Wins Prestigious State Award Page 3 of 3

hold our same values. Leyla is our eyes, ears, and nose on the
ground to help prevent and resolve problems.

Read more about our biosolids program.

Ernie's winning smile

"I feel proud to be a plant operator...it makes me so proud when
children thank me for protecting the environment."

When you look at Ernie Castro's picture, you

can see clearly the kind of person he is - eager,
encouraging, positive - a motivator. When you
talk to him, his positive attitude and enthusiasm
ooze out. His pride in what he does and how
he does it, flashes enthusiastically across his
face.

Ernie is the type of person you are always

happy to see, he makes your day, and makes
you just a little bit prouder to do your job.

We need more Ernies. He received the

Ernesto Castro Plant California Water Environment Santa Ana River
Operator Basin Operator of the Year Award at their
annual awards ceremony in February 2010. He
was nominated by supervisor Ken Wong for his
"eagerness to help and a can do attitude."

Read more.

Administrative Offices
10844 Ellis Avenue,
Fountain Valley, CA 92708-7018
(714) 962-2411

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Orange County Sanitation District | 10844 Ellis Avenue | Fountain Valley | CA | 92708

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