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Dr. Teng-Chung Wu Award
 This annual award recognizes Dr. Teng-chung Wu's dedication to improving water quality throughout his career and, in particular, his leadership in pollution prevention. After Bay Area utilities spent billions of dollars during the 1980's 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. 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, commitment, measurable results, and benefit to the environment and community. Winners
2011 – City of MillbraeThe Water Board presented the 2011 award to the City of Millbrae Water Pollution Prevention Program. The City of Millbrae operates a small wastewater treatment plant, but it has a big track record in reducing waste and pollutants at their sources. Millbrae is known for its outreach to keep pollutants like mercury, trash, and drugs out of San Francisco Bay. Millbrae gets the pollution prevention message out with support from the Millbrae City Council, the Millbrae School District, community groups, and countless volunteers. It airs public service announcements, hosts booths at public events, sends utility bill messages, presents videos on local cable access, works with schools and kids, and tries any number of other ideas that come along, like participating in Coastal Cleanup Day. Millbrae steps up its efforts during National Pollution Prevention Week each September. The program accomplishes so much by leveraging regional efforts through group purchasing and coordinated outreach with other City divisions, plus organizations like the Bay Area Clean Water Agencies (i.e., Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group), the Bay Area Stormwater Management Agencies Association, and the California Coastal Commission. Measuring increases in public awareness is difficult, but Millbrae staff knows it is making a difference through surveys and qualitative assessments based on conversations with event attendees. 2010 – Wastewater Treatment Agencies of Marin County The Water Board presented the 2010 award to the Wastewater Treatment Agencies of Marin County, for their collaborative and diverse public education program. The six Marin County wastewater agencies came together in 2007 to implement a county-wide public education program with combined resources and a unified message. A wide variety of strategies are included in the program to reach all age groups. The “Captain Polluto” and “Go with the Flow” shows educate as they entertain kindergarten through 3rd grade students. Kids in the 3rd grade also attend Wetlands Days to explore the treatment facilities, marsh, and bird watching areas at the Sewerage Agency of Southern Marin’s plant. High school students audit their own schools and surrounding environment for copper and mercury-containing chemicals and devices, and learn how to properly dispose of them. To reach the community, program staff host outreach booths at local events throughout the year to educate the public about proper disposal of unwanted pharmaceuticals; fats, oils and grease; and mercury-containing florescent lamps; and about other pollution prevention issues. The program has measured an increase in resident’s knowledge related to these issues through quizzes given at outreach events. The Water Board gave honorable mention to the City of Livermore Water Resources Division for outstanding committment to public education and outreach accomplished through marine murals on treatment plant buildings that demonstrate an innovative approach to increasing public environmental awareness. 2009 – Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group The Water Board awarded the Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group (BAPPG) for its leadership and regional promotion of the 2008 Statewide No Drugs Down the Drain (NDDD) Campaign. The NDDD campaign, a one-week educational campaign held October 4 11 2008, was the first effort in California to tackle pharmaceutical disposal issues at a Statewide level. National, state, and local agencies worked together to educate the public that disposing of leftover medication down the toilet has environmental costs and is no longer acceptable in California. BAPPG played a pivotal role in coordinating the Statewide efforts, and also capitalized on the Statewide campaign by launching a regional program to promote the NDDD message and regional medicine collection events and programs. More than 200 local one-day and ongoing pharmaceutical collection options, including community household hazardous waste facilities, were available to the public during the one week campaign. An estimated total of 30,000 pounds of expired or unwanted medications were collected statewide during the campaign, averaging about 150 pounds per event. 2008 — San Francisco Public Utilities Commission The Water Board recognized the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission for its innovative biofuel program, called SFGreasecycle. Through this program, the City collects used cooking oil from restaurants, hotels, churches, high schools, museums, and residents. The City converts all the oil collected to biofuel and uses it to fuel the City’s buses, fire trucks, and other municipal vehicles. The program includes outreach materials in three languages targeting food service establishments and residents. The City reports that, through SFGreasecycle, its employees and residents no longer consider grease to be a waste, but a fuel for the City’s diesel vehicles. By diverting waste oil often disposed of down drains, the City is reducing sewer blockages and sanitary sewer overflows. 2007 — Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group and the East Bay Municipal Utility District The Water Board recognized the Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group and the East Bay Municipal Utility District for their innovative pollution prevention efforts by awarding them the first annual Dr. Teng-chung Wu Pollution Prevention Award on September 12, 2007. The Water Board acknowledged the Bay Area Pollution Prevention Group for its successful regional program to stop dental mercury amalgam from reaching treatment plants and San Francisco Bay. It also recognized the East Bay Municipal Utility District for its successful collaborations with local environmental advocacy groups to implement various pollution prevention projects. The Water Board gave honorable mention to San Mateo County for reducing pharmaceutical discharges by refurbishing mail and courier boxes into pharmaceutical disposal containers and placing them at local law enforcement offices and the County courthouse. Links |