BATON ROUGE, La. – The Louisiana Rural Water Association received a 2009 Environmental Leadership Program Award, presented by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality during a ceremony on July 30.
                 “On behalf of the entire LRWA staff and Board of Directors I would like to say it is both an honor and privilege to be presented with this distinguish award and we look forward on continuing to provide the most up-to-date information and assistance to Louisiana’s water and wastewater systems,” said LRWA Executive Director Patrick Credeur.
                 Credeur, LRWA Source Water Specialist Bill Chaumont, Circuit Rider Ken Terry and Circuit Rider Rust Reeves took the state to receive the award.
                 “The Louisiana Rural Water Association is being awarded an ELP Non-Governmental Organization Achievement Award in Community Environmental Outreach for providing training and technical assistance to small towns and rural areas on operation and maintenance of water and wastewater systems, energy conservation, water protection, and compliance assistance,” said Senator Jody Amedee, Chairman of the Louisiana Senate Environmental Committee, during the presentation.  “More than 2,700 water and wastewater systems benefited from LRWA’s assistance each year.  After Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, LRWA assisted communities and provided support services by transporting generators to communities that needed assistance.  LRWA’s efforts have been instrumental in restoring Louisiana’s rural communities’ vital services after the devastations caused by the recent hurricanes.”
                 Harold Leggett, secretary of the Louisiana DEQ, stopped the presentation to give additional praise to Louisiana Rural Water.
                 “You never hear from LRWA because they’re out doing what needs to be done,” Leggett said.
                The Louisiana Rural Water Association is a non-profit organization that has been assisting small water and wastewater utilities since 1978. LRWA provides training, on-site technical assistance, and state operator certification to rural and small water systems in all 46 parishes of Louisiana.
                 The Department of Environmental Quality recognizes the achievements of industry, local governments, non-governmental organizations, schools and individuals through the Environmental Leadership Program.  New and existing members of the ELP were commended for their voluntary pollution prevention efforts and community educational outreach initiatives during the July 30 ceremony.  The ceremony highlighted projects that went above and beyond regulatory compliance to substantially improve the quality of the environment.  In 2008-2009, the ELP enrolled 48 new members.
                 “Companies, municipalities, schools and individuals that promote environmental improvements are helping to secure a cleaner future for Louisiana,” Leggett said.  “This year, I asked Deputy Secretary Alex Appeaning to expand the traditional ELP award categories to include medium and small business, non-governmental organizations, schools and individuals.  It takes the commitment of all entities in the state to achieve our goal of protecting the environment.  The projects honored today reflect creativity, technical innovations, and enhanced efficiency.”