Wellington recently announced that both its Water Treatment Facility and Wastewater Reclamation Facility have received top honors from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) as winners of the 2024 Plant Operations Excellence Awards for the Southeast Region.
These awards recognize outstanding achievements in plant operations, maintenance, innovative treatment, pollution prevention, recycling and regulatory compliance that go above and beyond state requirements.
The Wastewater Reclamation Facility earned the 2024 Operations Excellence Award for a “Type I Facility” — a designation reserved for wastewater plants treating 500,000 gallons per day or more. This is the second time that the facility has received this prestigious award, with the last recognition coming in 2019.
In a first for Wellington, the Water Treatment Facility has been awarded the 2024 Operations Excellence Award in the “Large Community Plant” category. This marks a significant milestone in the village’s ongoing efforts to ensure high-quality drinking water and infrastructure reliability for residents and businesses.
In addition to these honors, the Wastewater Reclamation Facility was recently named “Best Small Facility Class AA Dried Product Biosolids Program of 2025” by the Florida Water Environment Association. This state-level recognition highlights Wellington’s innovative and environmentally responsible biosolids program. The village’s facility produces Class AA biosolids — the highest quality designation — and safely recycles treated wastewater into reclaimed water for irrigation, reducing environmental impact and supporting sustainability.
“These awards reflect the hard work and dedication of our operators, mechanics, electricians, field crews and the entire support staff,” Village Manager Jim Barnes said. “They also underscore Wellington’s proactive approach to infrastructure investment and continuous improvement in water and wastewater services.”
The FDEP Plant Operations Excellence Awards are given only to facilities that demonstrate measurable achievements and innovations that exceed regulatory expectations.
The Village of Wellington is honored to be recognized among Florida’s top-performing utilities and remains committed to delivering safe, reliable and environmentally responsible services to the community.
