City Government
Poop Plant Wins Plaudits
July 16, 2007 
The people at the City poop plant are flush with pride and tooting their horn over winning “the wastewater equivalent of an Emmy.”
According to a press release sent to the GUARDIAN, the West Boise Wastewater Treatment Plant has earned a “Platinum Peak Performance Award”… for the proper processing of people’s poop.
We can just see the national telecast of the Emmy Awards next year when the producer of CSI leans into the microphone and says, “Wow! This is just like a Platinum Peak Performance Award.”
Boise is reportedly one of only 11 platinum winners in the USA competition this year. Platinum awards are earned after five years of gold awards which come after a full year with no violations. We shudder to to contemplate the color of third place and honorable mention awards when a plant doesn’t attain the clean water status.
Public Works Director Chuck Mickelson termed the accomplishment of not violating the law for five years “phenomenal.”
To top off the platinum pride in proper poop processing at the plant, the press person offered VIDEO of the facility–including free delivery.
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Comments & Discussion
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Jul 17, 2007, 10:31 am
Many of you may feel this is just a bunch of crap. However, I am yellow with excitement and want to say congrats on the brownie award. Today I flushed a thank you card down the toliet to save a stamp.
Joking aside, good job.
Jul 17, 2007, 12:57 pm
It’s easy taking pot shots at people who work in a sewer plant or a garbage truck. However, the job of dung hauler is a very ancient and necessary task.
The people at these plants are charged with protecting public health as well as the environment. In many parts of the world, raw sewage threatens lives and ruins waterways. Pardon the pun, but they get a lot of crap and not much appreciation with their job.
I’m happy to see our wastewater treatment workers get this award.
EDITOR NOTE–Yea team! Is the “Emmy” purchased or is it earned based on impartial third party science?
Jul 17, 2007, 3:46 pm
It’s time to dream up some awards of our own. I know, let’s find an elected city official who has five years of no violations, arrests or DUI’s. One who is competent, polite, and shows up for work every day on time. Of course, we might not be able to give one out very often.
Jul 18, 2007, 9:45 am
It was earned.
And to state that it’s 5 years without “violating the law” is simplistic at best. Each facility has a permit under which it operates. The permit specifies treatment standards for that particular facility and the body of water into which it discharges. Testing is continual and an occasional miss on a particular requirement is not unusual given varying waste loads and the complexity of the treatment process. The treatment plant does a great job, especially considering the growth in the area. It’s a credit to good operation and good design. (No I don’t work for the City).
EDITOR NOTE–Eric, we indeed inserted “the law” into the explanation for simplicity sake. Otherwise is it a violation of the rules, taste, standards, etc.
From the release:
“For the West Boise Treatment Plant to go five straight years without a violation is phenomenal,” Public Works Director Chuck Mickelson said.
No one, including the GUARDIAN has said a bad word about the ability, dedication, or attitudes of the heroes at the other end of our pipeline.
The whole point of the aliterative exercise is how funny it is to compare wastewater awards to an EMMY. Glad you agree that growth has put a burden on the folks at the sewer plant.
Jul 18, 2007, 9:50 pm
How sweet the honey-wagon of the year award is!
Seriously. Good job, easy target.
Not so grumpy at the moment
Jul 19, 2007, 11:11 pm
We must not forget that clean water, a working sewage system and regular trash removal have done more for elimination of disease and public health than all the doctors in the world. Congratulations to the treatment plant.