Information provided by Jim Heitzman, Veolia project manager.
The California Water Environment Association recently recognized the Hollister Water Reclamation Facility as Best Small Plant in the State of California for 2019, according to a recent release.
The plant has won numerous awards over the last five years, including the CWEA Safety Plant of the Year. The plant thoroughly cleans the community’s wastewater to the highest standards, tours thousands of Hollister students and supplies millions of gallons of reclaimed water to local farmers.
Veolia North America operates the plant under contract with the city of Hollister.
“The success of that facility was one that took the whole team to accomplish,” said Jose Rodriguez, former chief plant operator and 22-year employee. Rodriguez now works as the water/wastewater superintendent for Sunnyslope County Water District. “From James Heitzman who is the project manager down to the certified operators, Adan Cervantes, Luis Vasquez, Brian Demartini, and Alfonso Castaneda who have worked very hard to achieve the level of certification that is required by the state to run such a facility, to our administrator Jeri Cramer who deals with all the billing, coordinating our safety program, loading and offloading materials and validating deliveries are on schedule. This award is truly a team effort which is well deserved. The collaboration, effort and passion which was put forth by everyone at the facility to care about its effective operation and maintain permit compliance was showcased by the team’s effort to achieve this award.”
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