Dixon Wastewater Treatment Facility Earns Envision Silver Award from Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 6, 2017) – Dixon’s Wastewater Treatment Facility in California is the recent recipient of the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure (ISI) Envision Silver award. The Envision sustainable infrastructure rating system verifies the sustainability of infrastructure projects across the full range of environmental, social and economic impacts.

The City of Dixon’s Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements project is the culmination of years of collaboration between the city, Stantec Consulting, state of California environmental regulators and the public. Improvements to the facility address a range of community needs, goals and issues such as upgrading the aging wastewater treatment facility without an undue burden on ratepayers, meeting increased capacity demands and addressing salinity limits placed on the facility by the state.

“The completion of Dixon’s Wastewater Treatment Project signifies the accomplishment of a significant milestone, decades in the making, in which so many folks played pivotal roles,” said Joe Leach, PE, city engineer/public works director. “With the support of key Stantec personnel, the leadership of past and current City Councils and the construction partner, C. Overaa Construction, the city is pleased that we have a facility that is in compliance with regulations and provides a safe environment in which staff is able to operate a state-of-the-art facility that will provide sustainable capacity for the foreseeable future.”

“This award recognizes the efforts of dozens of engineers, scientists, and project specialists of the Stantec design team, as well as the city, state, and regional stakeholders, to work collaboratively to apply proven, cost effective, technology in a new way to address the long-term problem of salinization of the soils and groundwater in agricultural regions such as Dixon,” said Joe DiGiorgio, PE, Stantec’s project/construction manager. “I am proud to have been involved for more than 20 years working from the bottom up on this project. To see it through to the ribbon cutting has been an honor. I was pleased to learn that the framework for success that was started so long ago meshed well with the Envision verification process.”

Leach said it’s important that smaller public entities receive recognition for their efforts to design and build sustainable projects. “Often, smaller jurisdictions don’t receive credit for the creative ways they deliver projects for the benefit of the community and the environment. While it’s an honor to receive such a prestigious national award, the dedicated staff of the city works collaboratively with our design and construction partners each and every day. This project, due to its financing constraints, required innovative design, construction and regulatory collaboration that transitioned naturally to an Envision application.” 

The Envision sustainable infrastructure rating system is a collaboration between ISI and the Zofnass Program for Sustainable Infrastructure at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design and holistically rates the sustainability of infrastructure projects. The Envision system measures sustainability in five categories: Quality of Life, Leadership, Natural World, Resource Allocation and Climate and Risk. These key areas contribute to the positive social, economic and environmental impacts on a community.

“ISI is pleased to present the Dixon Wastewater Treatment Facility Improvements project with the Envision Silver award for sustainable infrastructure,” said ISI President and CEO John Stanton. “This project helps to address the salinity issues affecting groundwater resources in the area, and it is a clear example of infrastructure responding directly to community needs, goals, and concerns, making it a sustainable and resilient infrastructure project. Residents, businesses and industries in the City of Dixon will benefit from the improved wastewater treatment capacity for decades to come.”

The award, including a commemorative plaque, will be presented to the City of Dixon by the Stantec design team at a city council meeting on July 11.

For more information, visit the Dixon Wastewater Treatment Facility page.