SacSewer was presented with seven awards by the California Water Environment Association at their annual awards ceremony in Sacramento. Photo courtesy of SacSewer

SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) – The Sacramento Area Sewer District (SacSewer) has been recognized with seven awards from the Sacramento Area Section of the California Water Environment Association (CWEA), honoring standout achievements in community engagement, engineering innovation and professional excellence.

Presented at California Water Environment Association’s annual awards ceremony in Sacramento, the honors highlight both large-scale community outreach and engineering projects and the individual expertise of employees whose work strengthens public health, environmental protection and system reliability throughout the region.

“Each of these awards tells a different story – about public engagement, innovation and our staff’s unwavering dedication to excellence,” said SacSewer general manager Christoph Dobson. “Together, these awards reflect an organization that continues to evolve, invest in its people and deliver meaningful results for the communities we serve.”

Community Impact and Project Excellence

SacSewer earned two major project-based awards recognizing initiatives that demonstrate how SacSewer goes above and beyond: Project AWE received the Community Engagement and Outreach Project of the Year, honoring the program’s creative and inclusive approach – in collaboration with Sacramento Splash – to educating students and building awareness around Agriculture, Water, Energy and the Environment (AWE), while promoting sustainable practices and environmental stewardship.

The Sailor Bar Pump Station Rehabilitation Project earned Engineering Achievement recognition for its technical complexity, thoughtful design and long-term benefits to system resilience and reliability.

Individual Leadership and Technical Achievement

In addition to project recognition, the California Water Environment Association honored five SacSewer employees for their exceptional contributions across operations, maintenance and electrical and controls systems. The honorees are: Supervisor of the Year: Melissa Nichols, Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations Supervisor; Operator of the Year: David Barton, Senior Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator; Mechanical Technician Person of the Year: Steven Rice, Mechanic II; Electrical Instrumentation Person of the Year: Gary Spangler, Controls & Electrical Systems Manager; President’s Award: Nick Turlo, Senior Industrial Control System Technician.

“These recognitions are a direct reflection of the people behind the work and the culture we’ve built at SacSewer,” said Sonny Lunde, director of EchoWater Operations.

“I’m incredibly proud of these individuals – not just for their technical skill, but for the leadership, mentorship and commitment to safety they bring to their work every day in service to our community.”

California Water Environment Association, a statewide professional association with a 95-year history, evaluates nominees through a competitive peer-review process. SacSewer’s award-winning projects and recipients will now advance as finalists for California Water Environment Association’s statewide awards later this year. To learn more about California Water Environment Association and its awards program, visit California Water Environment Association’s website.

The Sacramento Area Sewer District (SacSewer) is the Sacramento region’s largest sewage collection, treatment, and resource recovery utility—providing service to more than 1.6 million people. We are the second largest sewage collection utility in California, and we own and operate the second largest water resource recovery facility of its kind in the nation – the EchoWater Resource Recovery Facility located near Elk Grove. Learn more at sacsewer.com.