OCWD Online - Awards

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2006

GWR:
June 2006: Silver Anvil Award, the nation’s highest PR award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)

Protos Award, awarded by the Orange County Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (OCPRSA)

OCWD:
May 2006 "Client of the Year" awarded by the by the Orange County Chapter of the Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California (CELSOC)

December 2006: 2006 Project of the Year Award in the water/wastewater category awarded to the Orange County Water District (OCWD) and Irvine Ranch Water District (IRWD) for the Irvine Desalter Project (IDP), by the American Public Works Association (APWA).

December 2006: OCWD was recognized by the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority's (ACWA/JPIA) for achieving a low ratio of paid claims and reserves to our deposit premium for the period 07/01/02 to 06/30/05. That means for a District of OCWD’s size, we are doing a good job of not having numerous worker compensation claims. There are 154 agencies as part of ACWA/JPIA. Any agency with a loss ratio below 20% was recognized. OCWD was one of 99 that received this award.

2004

OCWD's Groundwater Replenishment System water purification project:

2004 - Public Education "Program of the Year" - WateReuse Association

2004 - Excellence in Community Leadership award presented by Leadership Tomorrow

Communications Department:

2004 Communicator Awards Video Competition

Award of Distinction for the Groundwater Replenishment System video with Huell Howser

2004 MarCom Platinum Award: GWR System Public Outreach Campaign - MarCom Awards

2004 Protos Distinguished Service Award from the Public Relations Society of America - OC Chapter

2004 Communicator Awards print media competition:

Award of Distinction for the GWR System website (www.gwrystem.com)
Crystal Award of Excellence for the OCWD Brochure
Honorable Mention for the Children's Water Education Sponsorship Packet

2003

OCWD's Groundwater Replenishment System water purification project:

1st Annual Drought-Proofing Award from the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority.

Award of Excellence from the Civil Engineering and Land Surveyors of Orange County

Communications Department:

2003 Platinum Spotlight Award from the League of American Communications
Professionals (LACP)for it's MTBE News Release, which also placed OCWD in
the Top 100 Spotlight Award winners.

2003 Bronze Spotlight Award from LACP for the O.C. Water 101 Public Service
Announcement (PSA).

2003 Honors Spotlight Award from LACP for the Hydrospectives Online
newsletter.

2003 Communicator Awards - a national awards program that bases its awards on communications products.

-Award of Distinction, O.C. Water 101 PSA

-Award of Distinction, OCWD website

-Honorable Mention, Hydrospectives newsletter

Engineering Department:

2002 National Wetlands Award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for its work with the Santa Ana Watershed Association to protect and enhance the Santa Ana River watershed.

2003 Ruth Anderson Wilson from the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority for
its work to remove arundo donax from the Santa Ana River watershed.

Finance Department:

2003 Excellence in Procurement Award for the fourth consecutive year from the National Purchasing Institute.

2002

OCWD, ENGINEERING, COMMUNICATIONS and NATURAL RESOURCES
2002 Environmental Achievement Award from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9 for exceptional work and commitment to the environment; significant contributions toward enhancing and protecting the quality of our environment.

COMMUNICATIONS
2002 APEX Award of Excellence – for OCWD’s 2000-2001 4-color Annual Report.
2002 Communicator Awards - Print Media, Award of Distinction – OCWD Website
2002 Communicator Awards - Print Media, Award of Distinction – 2000-01 Annual Report/Gov't. Category
2002 Communicator Awards - Print Media, Honorable Mention – 2000-01 Annual Report/Design of Cover

FINANCE DEPT. -
The Orange County Water District has been awarded the Award for Outstanding Financial Reporting for the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for June 30, 2001.

The Orange County Water District Finance Department has been awarded the Award for Outstanding Financial Reporting for its 200-2001 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. This is the 2nd year OCWD has received this award.
PURCHASING DEPT-
OCWD’s Purchasing Department was recently awarded the 2002 Excellence in Procurement Award, a national honor presented to public and non-profit organizations that demonstrate and encourage excellence in procurement by obtaining a high score on standardized criteria measuring innovation, professionalism, productivity and leadership attributes of the purchasing function.

2001

FINANCE DEPT. -
The Orange County Water District has been awarded the Outstanding Financial Reporting Award for the 1999–2000 Fiscal Year. This is the most prestigious award an organization can receive from the California Society of Municipal Finance Officers.
See press release for more info.: Orange County Water District Wins Award For Outstanding Financial Reporting

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE DEPT. -
Maintenance Supervisor Patrick Lewis was rewarded with the Worker’s Compensation Safety Recognition Award from the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority (ACWA/JPIA). Pat earned the Award for making significant improvements to OCWD’s safety program and working environment.

See press release for more info.: District Employee Receives Safety Award

COMMUNICATIONS DEPT. -
The Communications team at OCWD received its first Protos statue from the Orange County Public Relations Society of America. Not only is this a high honor for OCWD, but this award is very prestigious among the public relations community. OCWD’s communications team was awarded the Protos in June for its development of the "New Contaminant in Drinking Water" Crisis Communication plan (related to NDMA).

OCWD won the following awards in the 2001 Communicator Awards Competition. The competition is a national awards program that bases its awards on the communications products.

Award of Excellence - OCWD & Groundwater Guardian Team for "A Journey Through our Watershed Interactive CD-Rom"
Award of Distinction - OCWD & Blue Planet Foundation for "Festival Expedition Invitations"
Award of Distinction - OCWD & Blue Planet Foundation for "Walk on Water T-Shirt"
Award of Distinction - Orange County Water District for "Orange County Water District's 1999-2000 Annual Report"
Award of Distinction - Orange County Water District for "Orange County Water District's NDMA Communication Plan"
Honorable Mention - Orange County Water District for "Orange County Water District's Waterweb"

The communications department was honored with the Platinum PR Award for Best Crisis Management Program. The Platinum PR Award is among the public relations industry’s most coveted honors, recognizing the best PR campaigns and programs of the past year in five categories. Campaigns are judged by a panel of experts on strategy, return on investment, resourcefulness, implementation, creativity and overall excellence. The Platinum PR Award is sponsored by the publishers of PR News:

PURCHASING DEPT- Excellence in Procurement Award

The District’s Purchasing Department was recently awarded the 2001 Excellence in Procurement Award, a national honor presented to public and non-profit organizations that demonstrate and encourage excellence in procurement by obtaining a high score on standardized criteria measuring innovation, professionalism, productivity and leadership attributes of the purchasing function. The 2001 Excellence in Procurement Award is sponsored by the National Purchasing Institute, Inc., California Association of Public Purchasing Officers and the National Association of Purchasing Management.

ENGINEERING

2001 Theodore Roosevelt Environmental Award - OCWD won this award for Excellence in Natural Resources Management of the Santa Ana River Conservation Trust Fund. Money in this fund goes toward a 5-year plan to restore natural river system functions and riparian resources for the benefit of wildlife and citizens. Funding for this work has been provided by multiple agencies and is secured in the Santa Ana River Conservation Trust Fund.

2000

BOARD OF DIRECTORS -
OCWD Board Member Philip L. Anthony is awarded the Leadership Award for helping form the regional system of representation for the Association of California Water Agencies between Orange County and San Diego.

FINANCE DEPT. -
Awarded the Signature Award from the Profit Sharing/401(k) Council of America for its retirement program. The District joins other prestigious Signature Award winners like K-Mart, Costco and the state of Oklahoma.

The award was given to the District for providing a successful education campaign regarding its retirement plan, which is administered by Union Bank of California.
See press release for more info.: OCWD Receives Signature Award from Profit Sharing Council of America

RISK MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
OCWD’s Risk Management Department was awarded the President’s Special Recognition Award by the Association of California Water Agencies Joint Powers Insurance Authority. OCWD received this award for achieving a low ration of “Paid Claims and Case Reserves” to “Deposit Premiums” in the Liability Program for the period 10/1/97 – 9/30/00.

PURCHASING DEPT. -
The Purchasing Department at Orange County Water District was awarded the 2000 Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Purchasing Institute. This national award is presented to public and non-profit organizations who demonstrate and encourage excellence in procurement by obtaining a high score on standardized criteria measuring innovation, professionalism, productivity and leadership attributes of the purchasing function.
See press release for more info.: - OCWD Purchasing Department Receives National Procurement Award

COMMUNICATIONS DEPT. -
The Communications Department of Orange County Water District received the WateReuse Award for the development of the NDMA Crisis Communications Plan.

The Orange County Water District Groundwater Guardian Team receives the Association of California Water Agencies Clair A. Hill Award in the Innovations Category for the Children’s Drinking Water Festival.

The OCWD Groundwater Guardian Team receives the Orange County Environmental Award in the Government Category from the Discovery Museum of Orange County for the Children’s Drinking Water Festival.