Sixteen projects, programs, and initiatives involving more than 20 Michigan communities are vying for the statewide Community Excellence Award (CEA)—the most prestigious Michigan Municipal League honor. Our office played a major role in one of the projects, known as NOCWA.
North Oakland County Water Authority (NOCWA) is a regional water authority comprised of Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills, Orion Township, Pontiac, and the WRC as Pontiac’s water system owner and operator. NOCWA was created out of collective concern regarding system reliability, decreased water pressure, rising Detroit Water and Sewerage Department (DWSD) water supplier rates, and overall operating expenses. The NOCWA operations plan relies on effective operation of Pontiac’s oversized storage tanks during peak water use periods – when residents use the most use water. Draw from DWSD is reduced during morning and evening peaks by monitoring overall NOCWA demand and supplementing resident demand via the storage facilities through a coordinated process. Results include increased water pressure, reduced energy costs, and $3.8 million annual savings. This win-win partnership illustrates the power of working together to achieve results otherwise unattainable if not for the innovative, collaborative efforts of these communities. Oakland County is in the running for a MML Community Excellence Award for its major role in helping to form NOCWA.
To vote online for this project, click on this link:
http://cea.mml.org/?post_type=cea&p=400
To read more about the MML Community Excellence Award, see the article in the sidebar on the right – Cities Competing for MML Awards.
Source: WRC