2024

• MSD’s Adopt-A-Class program was selected as the 2024 Best New Team out of nearly 140 new teams in 43 schools across the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. MSD mentored a 7-8th grade math class at Oyler School for the 23-24 school year.
• The Lick Run Greenway in South Fairmount was awarded the 2024 Engineering Excellence Award from the Ohio Water Environment Association (OWEA).
• MSD’s Indian Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in North Bend earned a Platinum5 Peak Performance Award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA). This prestigious award is for five years of 100% compliance (no permit violations) for discharges of treated effluent.
• MSD was awarded the Trailblazers Award from Trimble Solutions for the cutting-edge integration of our Cityworks system, which is used by our Wastewater Collection (WWC) division, with geospatial technologies, asset management program, financial systems, and customized developments.

 

2023

• MSD's Indian Creek, Mayflower, Muddy Creek, and Taylor Creek plants earned a Gold Peak Performance award from the National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) for 100% compliance (no permit violations) during 2022
• The Diversion Chamber project at the Mill Creek treatment plant was awarded the Excellence in Construction Award from the Ohio Valley Associated Builders and Contractors
• MSD's Lick Run Greenway project earned the 2023 Innovation in Sustainable Engineering Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ACSE)
• MSD was awarded the 2023 Cooperator of the Year Award from the Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District
• Laura Boyd, head of MSD's Environmental group, graduated from the Next Generation Leadership Institute, a leadership program of the National Association of Conservation District
• The Mill Creek plant earned the 2023 Facility Image Award from the Ohio Water Environment Association (OWEA)
• Aly Ouermi and Scott Maring were honored for their Excellence in Service to MSD and the City of Cincinnati; Aly is the Superintendent of Wastewater Treatment (Operations), and Scott is Superintendent of Wastewater Treatment (Maintenance)
• Rachel Oscherwitz, a Plant Supervisor, earned her Ohio EPA Class IV Wastewater Operator license; this is the highest operator license awarded by the Ohio EPA

 

2022

• MSD's Indian Creek, Mayflower, Mill Creek, Muddy Creek, Polk Run, Sycamore Creek, and Taylor Creek plants earned a Gold Peak Performance award from NACWA for 100% compliance (no permit violations) during 2021
• Rachel Oscherwitz was awarded the W.D. Sheets Award from the Ohio Water Environment Association (OWEA) for her work in wastewater education and training
• MSD's Sycamore Creek plant won the Water Environment Federation (WEF) George W. Burke Award for its active and effective safety program
• National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA) - 2nd Place, Innovative Projects
• American Public Works Association (APWA) - Public Works Project of the Year, MSD's Lick Run Greenway project
• American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Ohio Chapter - Grand Award, MSD's Lick Run Greenway project
• American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC), Ohio Chapter - Outstanding Achievement Award, MSD's Lick Run Greenway project
• MSD employees Joe Baer and John Vanderbilt became a certified Ohio EPA Class IV Wastewater Treatment Operator. This is the highest certification an operator can achieve. 

 

2021

• Associated General Contractors (AGC) of Ohio - Build Ohio Award - Industrial/Heavy category, MSD's Lick Run Greenway project
• Engineering News-Record (ENR) Midwest 2021 Best Projects - Best Project for Landscape/Hardscape/Urban Design: MSD's Lick Run Greenway project
• MSD's Lick Run Greenway project was selected as the 1st place winner in the GSI Trailblazers Campaign for green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) work that centers on equity and inclusion. The award was sponsored by the Green Infrastructure Leadership Exchange
• MSD's Polk Run treatment plant was the winner of the George W. Burke Award from OWEA for establishing and maintaining an active and effective safety program during 2020
• MSD's Sycamore Creek and Indian Creek plants earned a Gold Peak Performance award from NACWA for 100% compliance (no permit violations) during 2020
• MSD's Indian Creek treatment plant won the Engineering Excellence award at the One Water Technical Conference in Cincinnati in August 2021

2020

• MSD's Mill Creek and Indian Creek plants earned a Gold Peak Performance award from NACWA for 100% compliance (no permit violations) during 2019
• MSD employee Elvis Eghombi earned a scholarship from the Ohio Section of the American Water Works Association to assist in his pursuit of a master of science in environmental engineering degree
• MSD employee Achal Garg, a Ph.D. research scientist (now retired from MSD), was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study water quality in Lake Titicaca in Peru, South America. This was Achal's second Fulbright scholarship in less than 10 years
• MSD employee Octavia Brown earned the Competent Leader award from Toastmasters, and MSD employees Kristin Dektas and Tina Barwick earned the Competent Communicator award

2019

• MSD's Mill Creek and Polk Run plants earned a Gold Peak Performance award from NACWA for 100% compliance (no permit violations) during 2018
• MSD employee Ali Ouermi earned his Class IV wastewater operator license from the Ohio EPA. This is the highest certification an operator can achieve
• MSD employee John Barton, Ph.D., was the winner of the 2019 Collection System Award from the Ohio Water Environment Association (OWEA) for advancing state-of-the art wastewater collection
• MSD employee Rob Sizemore was the winner of the 2019 Professional Manager of the Year in Public Fleet from the American Public Works Association (APWA)
• MSD employee Bill Beyer was the winner of the 2019 W.D. Sheets Award from OWEA for being active in the education and training of students

2018

• MSD was awarded the Top Prize for its "Smart Sewers from Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL) and The Atlas Marketplace in a national Best Water Projects contest, which featured cutting-edge public works projects from across the U.S. related to water and wastewater infrastructure.
• MSD earned a 2018 Award for Green Infrastructure from the National Association of Flood and Stormwater Management Agencies (NAFSMA) for its Rapid Run Park bioswale, part of the Lick Run Project.
• MSD's Muddy Creek plant earned a "Platinum 7" Peak Performance award from NACWA for 100% compliance over a 7-year period (2011-2017) with its NPDES permit.
• MSD's Little Miami, Mayflower, Mill Creek, Sycamore Creek and Taylor Creek plants earned a Gold Peak Performance award, and the Polk Run and Indian Creek plants earned a Silver Peak Performance award from NACWA.
• MSD employee Todd Trabert was the winner of the 2018 Collection System Award from OWEA for advancing state-of-the art wastewater collection.
• MSD employee Jason Grooms was the winner of the 2018 W.D. Sheets Award from OWEA for being active in the education and training of students.

 

2017

• MSD Deputy Director MaryLynn Lodor received the 2017 Award for Individual Excellence from the Ohio Stormwater Association for demonstrating exceptional awareness and dedication to advancing stormwater practices in the State of Ohio.
• MSD's Muddy Creek plant earned a "Platinum 6" Peak Performance award from NACWA for 100% compliance over a 6-year period (2011-2016) with its NPDES permit.
• MSD's Little Miami, Mayflower, Mill Creek, Sycamore Creek and Taylor Creek plants earned a Gold Peak Performance award, and the Polk Run and Indian Creek plants earned a Silver Peak Performance award from NACWA.
• Brad Blankenship, an MSD wastewater treatment plant operator at the Mill Creek plant, earned his Class IV wastewater operator license from the Ohio EPA. This is the highest certification an operator can achieve.
• Tim Ball, an MSD wastewater treatment plant operator at the Indian Creek plant, was named the 2017 Awesome Operator for the Southwest Ohio section by OWEA.
• Ten MSD employees - Mike Davis, Zach Fischesser, Chris Hall, John Hredzak, Bill Lutz, Steven Parker, Kari Raisor, Jeff Schaber, Todd Trabert, and Renee Tyree - were awarded certification in green infrastructure by the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program.

2016

• MSD Director Gerald Checco was awarded Cincinnati's 2016 Earth Day Environmental Award in the Government category.
• MSD's Muddy Creek and Indian Creek plants earned a "Platinum 5" Peak Performance award from NACWA for 100% compliance over a 5-year period (2011-2015) with their NPDES permits.
• MSD's Little Miami plant earned a 2016 George W. Burke Award for its safety program from the Water Environment Federation (WEF).

2015

• MSD earned the prestigious Platinum Excellence in Management award for 2015-2017 from NACWA. MSD was one of three utilities to receive the award, which is the highest honor a utility can receive.
• MSD's Environmental Lab earned national accreditation from the NELAC institute.
• MSD"s Taylor Creek plant earned a Platinum 17 Peak Performance award for 17 years or consecutive 100% compliance with its NPDES permit from NACWA.
• MSD's Little Miami, Muddy Creek, Polk Run and Taylor Creek plants were recognized for safety initiatives by OWEA.
• OWEA recognized MSD with Mill Creek Treatment Plant Safety Award for having safety programs in place at the plant.
• OWEA recognized MSD with Wastewater Collection Division Safety Award for excellent safety program in place for its collection system.
• 2015 Design-Build "National Award of Merit” for Oakley Station CSO 551 & 553 Separation Sewer Project from the Design-Build Institute of America.

2014

• MSD was the winner of the prestgious U.S. Water Prize from the U.S. Water Alliance. MSD was honored for its strategy to reduce water pollution, beautify neighborhoods and spark economic development.
• Former MSD Director Tony Parrott was awarded a National Environmental Achievement Award from NACWA. Awardees are honored for significant contributions through outstanding advocacy or innovative projects that positively impact the environment, their utility, their community and/or the clean water industry.
• MSD was the recipient of Uptime Magazine's Best Asset Condition Management Program Award.
• MSD's Taylor Creek plant earned a Platinum 16 Peak Performance award for 16 years or consecutive 100% compliance with its NPDES permit from NACWA.

2013

• MSD was the recipient of Uptime Magazine's Best Emerging Maintenance Reliability Program Award.
• Ohio Stormwater Association – Lower Mill Creek Partial Remedy (LMCPR) Watershed Approach.
• 2013 Public Administrator of the Year Award, Tony Parrott, Innovation Category.
• NACWA Environmental Achievement Awards - Public Service Award category for recr8OhioRiver website and wireless device app.
• NACWA Peak Performance Awards, presented annually for compliance with NPDES permits.
• Water Environment Research Federation award honoring 20 years of MSD's commitment to advancements in water quality.

2012

• NACWA National Environmental Achievement Awards - Public Information and Education, Educational Program category for Lower Mill Creek Partial Remedy Communications.
• NACWA Excellence in Management (2012 – 2014).
• Polk Run, Sycamore Creek and Mill Creek plants received the Plant Safety Award from OWEA.
• Two City of Cincinnati Seasongood Innovation Awards were received by MSD for the Student Intern Academy, as well as for the eco-friendly Ault Park stormwater diversion project.