July 29, 2024

Elk Grove, California – The American Public Works Association (APWA) is proud to announce that Balfour Beatty’s delivery of the Sacramento Area Sewer District's (SacSewer)  EchoWater Project located at the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility (EchoWater Facility) in Sacramento won APWA’s 2024 Public Works Project of the Year Award in the environment category and in the more than $75 million division. APWA will recognize this year’s Project of the Year Award winners in a video posted to apwa.org on September 11.

“Recognizing the 2024 APWA Projects of the Year award winners is an honor. This year’s award recipients have shown what happens when you fulfill your commitment to making your community a better place,” said APWA President Gary Losier, PEng. “Public works professionals do so many things to advance the quality of life for all, and they don’t always receive the recognition they deserve. That’s what makes our Project of the Year celebrations at PWX in Atlanta so exciting and rewarding.”

APWA awards program recognizes publicly developed, owned, and maintained infrastructure projects that promote excellence in construction management and administration. These awards recognize the alliance between the managing agency, the contractor, the consultant and their cooperative achievements.

“Each year APWA receives hundreds of entries for our Project of the Year Awards. The most amazing part of the selection process is getting to see all of the great projects taking place in North America. These projects, whether selected or not, are all directed at improving the quality of life for all of our communities. I wish to congratulate each of this year’s honorees!” said APWA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Scott D. Grayson, CAE.

SacSewer's EchoWater Facility leverages tertiary improvements to produce cleaner water for discharge to the Sacramento River and help protect the Delta downstream. The project also increases opportunities for water recycling, by producing highly treated water.

Balfour Beatty teammates provided the infrastructure which supports the facility’s advanced “tertiary” level of treatment capable of tertiary-level filtration to remove smaller particles and pathogens such as viruses and bacteria, and enhanced disinfection to help inactive any remaining pathogens. The project encompasses three major unit processes including a Filter Influent Pumping Station (FIPS), a Granular Media Filtration (GMF) and Disinfection Contact Basins (DCB)

“We are honored to receive the APWA's 2024 Public Works Project of the Year Award for our involvement in the EchoWater Project. This recognition underscores Balfour Beatty's commitment to providing innovative, sustainable infrastructure that protects our environment and serves our communities,” said Kelly Phariss, Balfour Beatty US Civils vice president of West operations. “The EchoWater Project exemplifies how our industry’s collaboration with Public Works agencies promotes cutting-edge technologies to set new standards for environmental stewardship. We're proud to contribute to California's water resilience and look forward to continuing our water treatment services on behalf of our clients across the state."

For more information about the APWA awards program, please contact APWA Awards and Chapter Relations Associate Rhonda Wilhite at  rwilhite@apwa.orgor by phone at (816) 595-5261.