(Left to right) Michael Markus, WateReuse California president; Erik Johnson, divisional technical manager, Tuftex; Bill Woyshner, divisional environmental health and safety manager, Tuftex; and Paul Klein, WateReuse California past president.

Shaw's Tuftex division received the Recycled Water Customer of the Year Award from the WateReuse Association's California Section during the organization's annual Awards of Excellence ceremony in March. The award recognizes a recycled water user that has advanced the acceptance of water reuse through unique applications and/or innovative marketing, demonstrating how recycled water benefits the public and contributes to its business services.

“Shaw is honored to receive the Recycled Water Customer of the Year Award and once again be recognized for our groundbreaking efforts to manage resources efficiently across our divisions and our physical operations,” said Paul Murray, Shaw vice president of sustainability and environmental affairs. “Tuftex benefits from strong partnerships with forward-thinking municipal partners like the Los Angeles County Sanitation District,” said Jim Cusick, director of manufacturing, Tuftex. “Our progress benefits not only our environmental performance and bottom line but helps the State of California meet its goal for each municipality to reduce the use of fresh water by 20 percent by year 2020.”

Nominated by the Los Angeles County Sanitation District, Tuftex reported increased efforts of its use of recycled water from an average of 25.9% (out of total water consumption) in 2012 to 59.4% in 2013, a savings of more than 63 million gallons of fresh water during the calendar year. Tuftex has continued to make strides in recent months, currently using nearly 80% reclaimed water. Shaw?s aggressive performance goals include water reuse to help drive the company toward an even lower-impact future. Shaw is working to reduce its water intensity 50% companywide by 2030.

The recognition as the Recycled Water Customer of the Year Award adds to the list of awards that Shaw has received for its sustainability efforts in California, including the Central Valley Water Basin (Calif.) Industrial Use of Recycled Water Award, CalRecycle Reduction Award for successful waste-to-landfill reduction initiatives and Good

Corporate Citizen Certificates of Recognition from the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County. The WateReuse awards ceremony was held during the WateReuse California Annual Conference, the premier statewide conference devoted to sustaining supplies through water recycling and desalination. The conference was designed for individuals, organizations, and agencies that are associated with or interested in the design, management, operation, and use of water recycling and desalination facilities and projects in California. The conference featured technical presentations, educational workshops, a technical tour, receptions, a plenary session about direct potable reuse, and an exhibition component.