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KC Water Receives National Honor For Utility Excellence

Posted on October 17, 2016

(Kansas City, Mo.) – Today the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA) honored 20 public drinking water systems with its top utility management awards in ceremonies at its 2016 Executive Management Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz. Five systems received the Sustainable Water Utility Management Award, ten, including KC Water, received the Platinum Award for Utility Excellence, and five were presented the Gold Award for Exceptional Utility Performance.

“I’m very pleased that the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies has recognized us with the Platinum Award for Utility Excellence. KC Water has strived very hard in the last 4 or 5 years to become a professional, data driven, customer centric organization and I think this award recognizes that effort,” said KC Water Director Terry Leeds.

“This a further indication of how far KC Water has come over the last 5 years. I couldn’t be happier with the efforts that all 850 employees and associates of KC Water are doing to move the utility. It’s seen in our resident satisfaction scores. It’s seen in our customer service rankings,” said City Manager Troy Schulte.

The Platinum Award recognizes outstanding achievement in implementing the nationally recognized Attributes of Effective Utility Management.

Winners of the 2016 AMWA Platinum Award for Utility Excellence are:

  • KC Water (Missouri)
  • Beaver Water District (Arkansas)
  • Fort Wayne City Utilities (Indiana)
  • Kansas City Board of Public Utilities (Kansas)
  • City of Mesa Water Resources Department (Arizona)
  • Phoenix Water Services Department (Arizona)
  • City of Raleigh Public Utilities Department (North Carolina)
  • San Antonio Water System (Texas)
  • Suffolk County Water Authority (New York)
  • Tacoma Water (Washington)

“AMWA awards spotlight the impressive advances and substantial achievements of public drinking water utilities that are leading the nation in their efforts toward sustainability through innovative management practices, executive leadership and employee engagement,” said AMWA President Scott Potter, Director of Nashville Metro Water Services. “Communities count on their drinking water systems for reliable and adequate supplies of clean, safe water, and those served by AMWA’s 2016 award winners can take pride in their outstanding accomplishments.”

AMWA noted that, “KC Water has capitalized on challenges to establish an evidence-based, data-driven utility in all aspects, including infrastructure rehabilitation, maintenance, operational and customer-service programs. Achievements include: new infrastructure rehabilitation based on increased customer satisfaction as measured by customer surveys; improved main replacement protocols based on business risk exposure; and significant automation of many business processes. Careful management of debt coverage requirements to support long-term infrastructure investment has improved financial results. Forward-thinking processes have been implanted throughout administrative functions including customer service operations, employee training and staff development and long-range organizational planning.”

For more information, please contact Brooke Givens, Media Relations Coordinator, at brooke.givens@kcmo.org or 816.513.0284.

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KC Water maintains and operates water treatment and distribution systems, stormwater management systems, and wastewater collection and treatment systems for residential and business customers in Kansas City and for wholesale customers in the Kansas City area. KC Water is primarily funded by fees charged to customers based on their use or impacts on the three utility systems.

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