VCU Awards and Memberships
The staff at VCU works hard to provide excellent service to the City of Valparaiso. As a progressive and proactive utilities, we are active members of a number of water and wastewater organizations, including American Water Works Association and Water Environment Federation, which provide us with up-to-date reports of processes, technology, and techniques. We have received award recognition from a number of our membership affiliations.
Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (Aim) is the official voice of municipal government in Indiana, with more than 460 cities and towns as members. Aim launched the Green Communities Initiative in 2008 to identify potential cost savings to communities facing budget shortfalls, promote economically competitive quality-of-life concepts, and ultimately serve as role models for citizens while better protecting our environment. Each year the program honors one outstanding project.
In 2023, the City of Valparaiso was named Indiana’s Green Project of the Year by Aim for the City’s solar power initiative. The award recognizes Indiana’s leading project for sustainable development, energy conservation and environmentally conscious decisions. Valpo’s sustainable solar project added 772 solar panels to five City facilities, saving taxpayers more than $5.2 million in electrical costs over the life of the panels.
VCU has been awarded Gold & Silver Awards for demonstrating outstanding compliance of the City of Valparaiso’s NPDES permit.
- Awarded 2002, 2003, 2009–2024
Silver Water Drop Award- 2023 - Ms. Susan Ellen Gustafson
- 2021 - Mr. John A. Hardwick, PE
- 2019 - Mr. Mike Jeffress
Wendell LaDue Utility Safety Award
Valparaiso City Utilities was nominated to represent Indiana in the Class II Division of the National American Water Works Association's safety recognition program. This award, established in honor of Wendell R. LaDue, was created by the AWWA to recognize distinguished water utility safety programs. The Indiana Section AWWA selects one nominee in each of the four classes (determined by number of employees) based on that organization's established safety and health practices and their safety record over the past five years.
Dr. Shihua Chen, VCU's Water Operations Manager, accepted this nomination at the annual Indiana AWWA Conference in Indianapolis in January 2019.
Scholarship: One AWWA Operator
- 2018 - Mr. Jacob Chester
- 2018 - Dustin Johnson
Hydrant Hysteria
Congratulations to VCU’s 2020 Hydrant Hysteria Team, Nick Miller, Jerrin Ringle and Coach Mark Geskey, for winning the Indiana AWWA Hydrant Hysteria Competition on January 29, 2020 in Indianapolis.
Hydrant Hysteria is a competition sponsored by the American Water Works Association that measures a two-man team’s skill at assembling a hydrant quickly, completely and accurately. All parts must be assembled in the proper manner and the reassembled hydrant is tested by judges for its ability to operate correctly.
Four teams competed this year in the Indiana preliminary elimination round: Valparaiso, Fort Wayne, Carmel and Columbus. Nick and Jerrin qualified in the afternoon with a great time of 1 minute 24 seconds to compete against the Fort Wayne team in the championship event in the evening. VCU rose to the challenge, winning with a time of 1 minute 30 seconds, beating Fort Wayne by more than 14 seconds!
Fuller Award
- 2010 - Mr. John A. Hardwick, PE
In May 2020, the VCU Water Treatment Laboratory was recognized by the Environmental Resource Associates (ERA) as a Laboratory of Excellence for achieving 100% acceptable data in the ERA’s proficiency testing study. This achievement is a demonstration of the superior quality of the laboratory in evaluation of the standards for MicrobE (Coliforms).
Shihua Chen, the Water Operations Manager, stated that "biological safety is key to providing and maintaining top quality water standards."
"Groundwater Guardian is a program of The Groundwater Foundation that provides support and encouragement for communities and team of all types to begin groundwater awareness activities, motivation to continue these efforts and recognition for their achievements."
In 2021, VCU participated in a number of different activities to promote ground water awareness such as Earth Day at the Porter County Expo, celebrating AWWA Drinking Water Week, distributing our annual Water Quality report along with the Household Hazardous Waste annual calendars.
Click here for more information on the Groundwater Guardian Program.
In January 2021, Valparaiso City Utilities was awarded the Indiana Public Employees Plan (IPEP) Safety Grant Award in the amount of $6,800. The IPEP Safety Grant Program provides financial incentives that can be applied for by any current member of IPEP to apply towards the purchase of safety equipment or safety programs which will reduce or limit their workers compensation exposure. These grant funds will be applied to a new online safety training software allowing for flexibility and trackability in required training areas.
Laboratory Excellence Award
This honor is awarded for outstanding achievement in the implementation of laboratory technique and administration. This award has been received by VCU for the Water Reclamation Facility every year since 2006.
- Awarded 1989, 1992, 1997–1999, 2001–2004, 2006–2024
Safety Excellence Award
This IWEA-sponsored program is designed to give recognition to all plants which grade high in merit points to such an extent that a plant may sustain a minimum of loss-time accidents and with a good point record could still be eligible for a safety award. Safety experience of each plant is compiled by the IWEA Committee and recommendations for awards are based on points and accident experience of each plant. The plant also undergoes a complete safety inspection.
- Awarded 2001, 2004, 2005, 2010–2013, 2015–2024
Biosolids Operating Award
Awarded in 2005 for Operating Projects.
Sewer Collection System Award
Awarded in 2007.
Visit Indiana Water Environment Association for additional information.
The Peak Performance Awards recognizes National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) member agency facilities for excellence in National Pollutant Discharge Eliminations System permit compliance. The Elden Kuehl Pollution Control Facility achieved the Silver and Gold Peak Performance Awards in various years.
Silver Awards are presented to facilities with no more than five violations per calendar year. Gold Awards are presented to facilities with no permit violations for the entire calendar year. All treatment facility applicants must be publicly owned by a current NACWA member agency and be in operation for at least one month or more during a calendar year.
Click here for more information on NACWA.
- 2002, 2003, 2009 - Silver
- 2010 - Gold
- 2011–2016, 2018 - Silver
- 2019–2021, 2023 - Gold
2009–2011 - The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the US Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 Water Division recognized VCU for it' dedication and strong commitment to managing energy through the IDEM Pilot Project.
2008 - Combined Sewer Overflow National Clean Water Act Nominee for the State of Indiana Wet Weather Section. Nominated by IDEM.