Albany utilities lab earns Georgia Association of Water Professionals platinum award for consecutive perfect compliance

The Georgia Association of Water Professionals presented the City of Albany Utilities laboratory team with a platinum award Tuesday recognizing five consecutive years of perfect compliance with state regulations.

The award was presented at the Albany Utility Board meeting by Pamela Burnett of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP). “To get this award, you have to be 100% in compliance,” Burnett said, noting the thoroughness of inspections and the difficulty of achieving the recognition.

The board and city officials said the laboratory’s testing and quality-assurance work directly protects public health. City Manager Jacobs thanked the board for supporting utility staff and singled out Adam Winters, the day-to-day manager of the laboratory, for “meticulous attention to detail” that helps ensure safe drinking water for Albany’s residents.

Burnett described the GAWP as a nearly century-old organization that maintains operator certification programs and hosts multiple annual conferences. She identified the laboratory committee as particularly active and emphasized the lab’s role in alerting the utility to water-quality problems and maintaining compliance with state regulations.

Board members, the city manager and others praised the award as recognition of routine but essential work. “We have a lot of unsung heroes in our city,” Utility Board member Fields said. “I appreciate what you do. I like having clean water.”

Burnett also noted that Adam Winters participates as a laboratory inspector across the state, which she said helps share best practices among utilities. The board did not take formal action on the presentation; the item was placed on the meeting for information and recognition.