Columbus City Utilities Wins SIOA Plant of the Year Honors for Second Year

On December 7, 2022, Columbus City Utilities (CCU) was once again awarded the Plant of the Year honors by the Southern Indiana Operators Association (SIOA) at their annual meeting. The award was presented to CCU in recognition of the excellence displayed at its wastewater plant, located on South Jonesville Road in Columbus. Travis Calhoun, WWTP Superintendant, accepted the award on behalf of CCU.

CCU makes history with this award as the only facility to win the award two years in a row. In comments made at the event, SIOA officials stated that CCU’s Wastewater Treatment Plant sets the example for the standard that other wastewater treatment plants are striving to achieve, citing the leadership, management and staff as key components to its success.

Constructed in 2010, CCU’s Wastewater Treatment Plant began operations in May 2011. It averages a daily flow of 13.9 million gallons of water and can handle a peak of 39 million gallons of water for treatment per day.

Established in 1972, the SIOA is a not-for-profit organization providing education and networking to professionals in the wastewater/water recovery field. The SIOA is dedicated to preserving and protecting water resources for all communities, and strives to serve, educate and perform outreach to communities in southern Indiana. Members are not only operators, but engineers, scientists, laboratory personnel, supervisors, equipment manufacturers, suppliers, governmental representatives and citizens throughout Southern Indiana. Learn more about SIOA at sioaonline.org.

On March 31, Mayor Lienhoop visited the CCU office on McClure Road to recognize Columbus City Utilities and our Wastewater Treatment staff for winning Plant of the Year for the second year in a row by the Southern Indiana Operators Association (SIOA). Mayor Lienhoop presented staff with a proclamation and declared March 31, 2023 as Columbus City Utilities Wastewater Treatment Plant Day. Several board members joined the celebration as well Tim Shuffett, City Council Liaison to the Utility Service Board.