Lakewood Mayor Michael P. Summers Receives National Environmental Achievement Award

The National Association of Clean Water Agencies (NACWA) has selected Mayor Summers to receive the Association’s 2020 National Environmental Achievement Award for Local Public Service for his Clean Water Act compliance leadership for Lakewood. Mayor Summers and the Clean Water Lakewood Team developed Lakewood’s Integrated Wet Weather Improvement Plan to confront the challenge of updating Lakewood’s unique, 100-year-old sewer system to meet the requirements of the Clean Water Act.

NACWA is a national organization that represents close to 300 public clean water utilities around the country and has long advocated for integrated planning opportunities.

The award recognizes public officials at the local, state, and federal levels of government who have demonstrated exemplary commitment and service to their community and protecting the environment. Past award recipients include Senators, EPA Directors, and Mayors across the country including The Honorable Peter Buttigieg (South Bend, Indiana) and The Honorable David J. Berger (Lima, Ohio).

The award notice stated, “With this award, the Association honors your exemplary commitment to your community, the environment, and the challenges faced by NACWA Member Agencies…Thank you for your service to the environment and the clean water community. Your contributions have made a lasting impact.”

“I am honored to receive this award on behalf of Lakewood; it recognizes our trailblazing approach to achieve results that are both environmentally and financially responsible,” says Mayor Summers. “The IWWIP is a result of over 15 talented, dedicated people working hard for over a decade. We are delivering greater water quality benefits for Lake Erie and the Rocky River at a price that is reasonable for our citizens.”

Lakewood was one of the first cities in the nation to submit an integrated plan under the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2018. The City developed its plan voluntarily, while most cities pursuing this strategy are doing so under the force of a consent decree.

Lakewood’s Integrated Wet Weather Improvement Plan will build upon the City’s work over the past 10 years to develop a plan that achieves the spirit and letter of the CWA on an affordable and sustainable path. Since 2003, the City has spent $60 million to improve our sewer and wastewater system. Approved projects currently in the process add $23 million of improvement, including the High Rate Treatment Plant (HRT). To read about Lakewood’s journey to this point and Phase 1 & 2 of the Integrated Wet Weather Improvement Plan, click here.