The WateReuse Association (WateReuse) recently announced its annual Awards for Excellence recipients at the 2025 WateReuse Symposium in Tampa, Florida, March 16-19. Winners included individuals, initiatives and facilities driving increased knowledge, awareness and adoption of water reuse practices and technologies.
The 2025 Symposium theme was Turning the Tide toward Water Reuse, and the awards given out included the WateReuse Awards for Excellence (multiple categories), President’s Awards and Service Awards.
WateReuse Awards for Excellence
The WateReuse Awards for Excellence recognize the people, projects, and partnerships that demonstrate exceptional leadership toward building more resilient communities through water reuse. Award recipients use water recycling in novel ways to solve water management challenges, advance policies that facilitate greater adoption of water recycling, and inspire others through their innovation and leadership. To read more information and view videos about the award winners, visit this page.
The award winners are:
Advocacy Achievement
The Advocacy Achievement award recognizes individuals and organizations for significant achievements in advancing policy, legislation, or regulations that facilitate greater adoption, implementation, or acceptance of recycled water.
- Anselmo Collins, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power
- Shannon Spurlock, Pacific Institute
- Sharon Green, Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
Community Water Champion
The Community Water Champion award recognizes the accomplishments of utilities and local government entities that ensure a safe, reliable, locally controlled water supply through the development of water recycling treatment facilities, infrastructure and/or other water reuse projects.
- Upper Occoquan Service Authority (UOSA)
- Sterling Natural Resource Center (East Valley Water District, Balfour Beatty, Arcadis, Ruhnau Clarke Architects, Anaergia, AKD Consulting)
Excellence in Action
The Excellence in Action award recognizes community leaders that demonstrate a commitment to water resiliency through the innovative use of recycled water for commercial operations, watershed restoration projects, irrigation, or other projects.
- The French Valley Recycled Water Expansion Project (Eastern Municipal Water District, Temecula Valley Unified School District, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Valley-Wide Recreation and Park District).
- Pure SoJo Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) Demonstration Facility (Ray Garrison, City of South Jordan).
The City of South Jordan’s Pure SoJo DPR Demonstration Facility is the first direct potable reuse project in the state of Utah. Designed by Carollo, the facility uses a sophisticated carbon-based advanced treatment system to transform wastewater into high-quality drinking water through multiple purification steps. This sustainable approach meets or exceeds all regulatory requirements while eliminating the need for brine disposal associated with traditional reverse osmosis systems. The facility is for demonstration purposes only and all the purified water is returned to the wastewater plant.
Outreach and Education
The Outreach and Education award recognizes significant success in advancing public acceptance of recycled water, including short-term campaigns, educational programs, and events.
- Be Water Positive Sailing Campaign
- Arizona Water Innovation Initiative at Arizona State University (ASU)
- Orange County Sanitation District
Up and Comer
The Up and Comer award recognizes an emerging professional making an impact in the recycled water industry.
- Karthik Kumarasamy, CDM Smith
President’s Awards
The President’s Awards recognize individuals who have significantly contributed to the advancement of water reuse through exceptional service and leadership. This award is given at the discretion of the WateReuse Association President.
- Brian K. Biesemeyer, Former Executive Director of Scottsdale Water
- John Enloe, Truckee Meadows Water Authority
- John Shearer, Florida Water Reuse Leader
- Wilton Simpson, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture
- Lynn Spivey, Director of Utilities – City of Plant City, FL
Service Awards
The WateReuse Association recognized these individuals for their service on our Board of Directors. Their leadership and vision have helped drive the national adoption of water reuse policies and programs.
- Kati Bell, Hazen and Sawyer
- Tricia Kilgore, Beaufort-Jasper Water & Sewer Authority
- Thomas Maher, Southern Nevada Water Authority
- Natalie Monro, Jacobs
- David Sloan, Freese and Nichols
- Mike Sweeney, Toho Water Authority
Sources: WateReuse, Carollo
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