Baltimore Meets the Challenge

The Outstanding Achievement Award in Water Pollution Control was presented this year to the City of Baltimore, Md., Back River Wastewater Treatment Plant. The award is presented annually by the Water Environment Federation to the program that best demonstrates significant, lasting, and measurable excellence in water quality improvement, or prevention of water quality degradation in a region, basin, or water body. Baltimore updated its aging treatment plants when construction grants became available through the Clean Water Act in the 1970s. Through a 14-year, $500-million program of expansion and upgrade, the city has achieved a level of water quality protection that exceeds the requirements of its discharge permit. The commitment that grew out of this initial program extends beyond the requirements of federal law and discharge permit limits; it is a commitment to the protection and recovery of the Chesapeake Bay.