MEDIA RELEASES

WATER UTILITY UPDATES COMMUNITY ON MILESTONES

OAK CREEK–May 28, 2008–The Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility today announced milestone achievements in both the technical and financial areas of its operations.  

“Our customers have come to expect and deserve in-depth consideration of both technical and financial aspects when considering how best to equip the Utility to ensure the cleanest, safest drinking water possible flows to their homes and businesses,” said Utility General Manager Steven N. Yttri. “This approach, which has contributed to our decades of recognition for water safety and financial reporting, has served well the communities and ratepayers that depend on our world-class water system for their water.”    

Utility Recognized for Decade of Safe Water Partnership

The Utility will receive a Ten-Year Directors Award as part of the EPA’s Partnership for Safe Water Program (Partnership) in 2008. No other utility in Wisconsin, and only three other utilities in the Nation, have received a Ten-Year Award to date. A Directors Award is earned by a water treatment plant that has completed Phase III in the Partnership program. Renewed annually, a Utility must submit an application each year to maintain Phase III status.   

In Oak Creek, water treatment guidance is provided in part by its involvement in the Partnership, a cooperative of six drinking water organizations including the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the AWWA website, over 85 million people receive higher quality drinking water from utilities that participate in this program. The Oak Creek water treatment plant is one of more than 400 treatment plants in the Partnership.

Utility Receives Highest Recognition in Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting
For 14 consecutive years, the Utility has received the Government Finance Officers Association’s highest honor for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting is awarded by an impartial national panel. The panel bestows this honor on public entities with accounting and financial reporting that demonstrate a spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate their financial stories in a fashion that motivates readership.

Utility Ensures Internal Controls Meet Industry Standards
The Utility recently commissioned an internal control study by an independent audit firm to ensure its accounting practices remained aligned with industry standards. Facts noted in the study included exemplary leadership qualifications and strength of the Utility’s existing internal controls.

“Even though we have received annual recognition by an international accounting organization for the last 14 years, and have been continuously recognized for the strength of our internal controls” Yttri said, “we thought it prudent to give ourselves an additional check to ensure we were doing everything we could to provide ratepayers the utmost confidence in our financial soundness.”

Over the last 15 years, a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) has headed the Utility accounting staff. This level of qualification, as the report notes, is necessary to make certain Utility employees have a better understanding of roles and responsibilities. Additional recommendations made in the study were evaluated using standard cost-benefit analyses. Recommendations where costs did not exceed the benefits to the Utility and its ratepayers have been implemented.

Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility is known as one of the most progressive utilities in the Nation.  Always seeking new ways to improve, the Utility has committed to continued excellence through a program of quality improvement.  Utility employees produce the highest quality drinking water possible, and are proud to announce its water meets and exceeds all federal and state drinking water health standards.

LANDSCAPE INVESTMENT IMPACTS SUMMER WATER SEASON

As the days grow longer and the sun begins to warm the Earth, thoughts will turn to summer rituals such as gardening and lawn mowing. Homeowners, in fact, are increasing their investments in exterior landscapes, which require significant amounts of water.  

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, one-quarter of water usage irrigates landscapes of home and business owners. Lawn watering accounts for about 8 billion gallons of water a day nationwide, or the equivalent of 14 billion six packs of beer, writes engineer Amy Vickers in the AWWA Journal when describing America’s biggest drinking problem to her readers.

 Part of those landscapes, according to the article, includes about 4 million homes with water features growing to 16 million in 2003. Waterscapes also can impact the level of water used during a typical watering season. Some municipalities have implemented conservation measures, such as limiting the number of water days, restricting the area allowed for turf, and promoting natural lawns and landscapes that require only rainwater to survive.

 While Oak Creek does not rely on such methods due our plentiful supply of clean, safe drinking water, we can only benefit from conservation of water. The benefits would manifest in the form of reduced electrical costs for pumping and reduced infrastructure costs. For more information on what you can do to reduce the amount of water used and save money on your water bill, please contact the Oak Creek Water Utility at 570-8210.

 The Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility produces some of the highest quality drinking water in the nation. Always seeking new ways to improve, utility employees conduct thousands of water quality tests annually to ensure the cleanest, safest drinking water possible flows to customers. In fact, the utility test nearly three times more than the 970 quality controls required by government regulations. The utility is proud to announce its water meets and exceeds all federal and state drinking water health standards.

WATER & SEWER UTILITY ACHIEVES SEVERAL MILESTONES

The Wisconsin Water Association recently recognized the Utility with the Wisconsin Special Achievement Award for its dedication to the American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Partnership for Safe Water Program over the last nine years. Wisconsin remains the only Wisconsin Utility to receive phase III designation through the program.

“Participating in this program over the past nine years assures consumers as well as local, state, and federal officials that we are on the leading edge of providing the safest, cleanest drinking water possible at reasonable rates,” said Steven N. Yttri, Utility general manager. “The award symbolizes the contributions of all Utility employees who seek more effective, efficient ways to produce high quality water.”

In 2003, the Utility was one of only 16 elite utilities nationwide awarded the “Five-Year Director’s Award” from the AWWA for commitment to continuously improving water quality beyond current regulatory requirements through Partnership for Safe Water.

The Partnership is a voluntary cooperative effort between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), AWWA and other drinking water organizations throughout the United States. The Partnership goal is to provide a new measure of safety to millions of Americans by implementing prevention programs where legislation or regulation does not exist. The preventative measures are based on optimizing treatment plant performance to increase protection against microbial contamination in America's drinking water supply.

Commissioner Gass Recognized as Steward of Safe Water
Gary Gass becomes the Utility’s fifth commissioner to be awarded the Steward of Safe Water designation from the Wisconsin Water Association. Gass was recognized for his more than 10 years of leadership and service to citizens of Oak Creek. Now, all of the Utility commissioners have more than 10 years of service and are considered Stewards of Safe Water.

Utility Receives 13th Certificate of Excellence for Financial Reporting
For 13 consecutive years, the Utility has received the Government Finance Officers Association highest honor for its comprehensive annual financial report. The Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting is awarded by an impartial national panel. The panel bestows this honor on public entities with accounting and financial reporting that demonstrates a spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story in a fashion that motivates readership.

Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility is known as one of the most progressive utilities in the Nation. Always seeking new ways to improve, the Utility has committed to continued excellence through a program of quality improvement. Utility employees produce the highest quality drinking water possible, and are proud to announce its water meets and exceeds all federal and state drinking water health standards.

OAK CREEK WATER AGAIN WINS INTERNATIONAL TASTE COMPETITION

OAK CREEK—March 6, 2006—The Oak Creek Water Utility’s commercially bottled, purified water again received international distinction by winning a gold medal at the largest water tasting competition in the world. The 16th Annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Contest marks a return to glory for the municipal bottled water packaged under the name Claire Baie. The first gold medal came five years ago in what was then its first contest entry.

“We all take great pride in producing great tasting, clean water,” said Steve Yttri, Oak Creek Water Utility general manager. “Oak Creek water customers know the great taste of our water every day, but now so does the rest of the world.”

Claire Baie defeated silver medalist Clear Springs Natural, Vanleer, Tenn., and bronze medalist Water Boyz, Santa Fe, N.M. More than 70 waters representing a dozen countries and 22 U.S. states competed for medals in four categories in Berkley Springs, W. Va., February 25.  Read More...

OAK CREEK – February 14, 2006 – The Oak Creek Water & Sewer Utility today announced plans to add office and garage space to its existing location at 170 West Drexel Ave. Total cost of the construction, which is scheduled to begin in May, will be paid for with funds saved by the utility since 1999. 

“Tremendous growth within our service area has driven demand for utility services,” said Steven Yttri, utility general manager. “Sales, customers, service area and assets all have doubled since the existing facility was constructed 21 years ago.”  Read More...

OAK CREEK – October 26, 2004 – After conducting a five-year pilot program to study the feasibility of storing treated drinking water underground for later use during peak demand periods, Oak Creek Water and Sewer announced today it became the first Wisconsin utility to receive approval from the DNR to employ the storage method known as aquifer storage recovery (ASR) as part of their permanent system.

“This technology allows Oak Creek to pump normal treated drinking water underground into the aquifer during low-usage winter months and then recover that water during periods of high-flow summer months,” said Mike Sullivan, utility engineer. Read More...

OAK CREEK – September 30, 2003 – Oak Creek Water Treatment Plant Manager Patrick Francis was recognized as the Operator Meritorious for Wisconsin at the Wisconsin Water Association (WWA) annual meeting held in Middleton last week.

“Pat Francis received this award for his commitment and leadership to continuously providing safe drinking water,” said WWA Chairman James Chaffee. “Proof of his dedication shows in the numerous times the Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility has been recognized over the years at the national and local levels.”

A 28-year veteran of the water and sewer utility, Francis received the award for leading the utility’s involvement in the national Partnership for Safe Water Program, a program developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and American Water Works Association. Read More...

OAK CREEK – June 11, 2003 – Oak Creek Water and Sewer will be recognized by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) as one of 16 elite utilities committed to continuously improving water quality beyond current regulatory requirements. As part of the Partnership for Safe Water Program, the “Five-Year Director’s Award” will be presented at an AWWA Annual Conference ceremony in Anaheim, Calif., June 15, 2003.

“Participating in this program over the past five years assures consumers as well as local, state, and federal officials that we are on the leading edge of providing the safest, cleanest drinking water possible at reasonable rates,” said Steven N. Yttri, utility general manager. “The award symbolizes the contributions of all utility employees who seek more effective, efficient ways to produce high quality water.” Read More...

NATIONAL QUALITY TEAM ASSESSES OAK CREEK WATER UTILITY

OAK CREEK – May 1, 2003 – Clean, plentiful, safe drinking water sustains life, yet many take this resource for granted. National Drinking Water Week (May 4-10) presents an opportunity to share information about what is being done at the Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility.

The utility is proud to announce it completed the peer review portion of the American Water Works Association QualServe program today. QualServe, a national quality improvement program, provides the utility another means to ensure continuous improvements in operations and service. The quality improvement program is based on a series of “best practices” compiled from the experiences of utilities nationwide. The peer review process uses visiting teams of trained utility professionals to conduct on-site evaluations to uncover strengths and opportunities for improvement. The peer review team reviewing the Oak Creek utility included members from Iowa, Massachusetts and New Jersey. Read More...

Utility Volunteers for Government Finance Officers Association Review

Oak Creek — Rate payers served by the Oak Creek Water and Sewer Utility may sleep better tonight after watching the nightly news describe the latest accounting scandal involving the next Enron or Arthur Andersen. The utility voluntarily submitted financial reports for independent review, and, for the ninth consecutive year, received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting.

“Financial accounting is not the most glamorous of topics,” says Steven N. Yttri, utility general manager, “but accounting becomes more interesting when the public realizes how it can affect their pocket books. Read More...