A “remarkable commitment to protecting the Blue River Basin” has garnered an EPA environmental achievement award for the Breckenridge Sanitation District.
EPA regional deputy administrator Eddie Sierra presented the award to district officials in Breckenridge, singling out the district for the “significant and lasting influence” it has had on protecting water quality in the Upper Blue Basin.
During the district’s 40-year life span, numerous initiatives have enhanced the protection of the basin’s water quality. The district owns and operates five wastewater treatment facilities in the Upper Blue River basin and has won numerous environmental awards, including five national and five regional Clean Water Act awards in operation and maintenance.
One example of the initiatives is the construction of the Iowa Hill Water Reclamation plant, which for the first time created a winter stream flow in a segment of the Blue River that had been extensively dredged during the late 1800s. The winter stream flow allowed for the dilution of heavy metals being discharged from the Wellington-Oro mine.
In another example, the District entered into a reclamation agreement with the Climax Mine for the disposal of biosolids on the mine’s contaminated tailings.
EPA Region 8 presents awards in four categories to individuals and groups. Breckenridge’s award recognizes significant achievements in the protection of public health or the environment and in advancing the agency’s strategic goals. Among the criteria is an outstanding contribution to environmental protection through a single action, or by an ongoing action over an appreciable period of time.
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