State & Bay Area Awards for Pollution Prevention & Outreach

Sanitary District No. 5, in partnership with five other wastewater treatment agencies in Marin County, won the Dr. Teng-chung Wu Award in 2010.  This annual award recognizes Dr. Teng-chung Wu's dedication to improving water quality through- out his career and, in particular, his leadership in pollution prevention.

After Bay Area utilities spent billions of dollars during the 1980s to implement traditional treatment technologies, Dr. Wu believed pollution prevention was the most cost-effective next step in improving water quality.

To advance pollution prevention in the Bay Area, Dr. Wu introduced a collaborative regional approach involving many public agencies and utilities in pollution prevention.  His efforts lead to the formation of the Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group (www.bacwa.org).

Because the public is ultimately the source of pollutants in wastewater, Dr. Wu believed strongly in the public outreach and awareness elements of pollution prevention programs.  The award reflects Dr. Wu's pollution prevention philosophy by encouraging submissions from agencies that have worked together on pollution prevention projects or have shared their ideas and experiences with others to foster new and expanded pollution prevention programs. Awards are based on leadership, innovation, commit- ment, measurable results, and benefit to the environment and community.