Johnston County Wins State Water Quality Award – JoCo Report

Report on Johnston County Public Utilities’ Achievements in Sustainable Water Management

Introduction: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

Johnston County Public Utilities (JCPU) has received the 2024 Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP) Award from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ). This recognition highlights the utility’s significant contributions to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily focusing on ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The core achievement revolves around providing safe and high-quality drinking water, directly aligning with Target 6.1 to achieve universal and equitable access to safe drinking water.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: By exceeding water quality standards, JCPU actively contributes to public health, reducing the risk of waterborne diseases and supporting community well-being.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The provision of a reliable and safe water supply is a fundamental service for creating sustainable, resilient, and safe communities.

Performance Excellence and Alignment with SDG 6

JCPU’s performance in 2024 demonstrates a profound commitment to SDG 6. The utility’s East and West Water Treatment Plants were among 63 facilities in North Carolina honored for surpassing federal and state drinking water standards. The AWOP initiative specifically evaluates the optimization of water treatment processes to enhance public health protection.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Turbidity Removal: The AWOP program emphasizes the effective removal of turbidity, a critical measure of water clarity. Low turbidity is essential for effective disinfection, which directly prevents the transmission of harmful microorganisms and ensures water safety.
• Exceeding Standards: JCPU’s success indicates a proactive approach to water quality management, consistently delivering a resource that surpasses mandated safety levels. This is a testament to advanced technology, staff training, and rigorous monitoring protocols.

Sustained Commitment and Gold Star Recognition

Johnston County’s long-term dedication to sustainable water management is further evidenced by its achievement of Gold Star status. This distinction underscores a consistent, multi-year effort to uphold the principles of SDG 6.

1. Gold Star Status: This honor is reserved for systems that have received the AWOP Award for ten or more consecutive years.
2. Elite Performance Group: In 2024, only 20 facilities statewide achieved this status, placing JCPU among the top-performing public utilities in North Carolina.

According to Johnston County Public Utilities Director Chandra Farmer, this sustained recognition is a direct result of the staff’s dedication to ensuring residents have access to safe, reliable, and high-quality drinking water, a cornerstone of sustainable community development.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation – This is the primary SDG addressed. The entire article focuses on the provision of “high-quality drinking water” by Johnston County Public Utilities. It highlights the utility’s success in surpassing drinking water standards, which is central to ensuring clean water access.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – The article connects the provision of clean water directly to public health. It mentions that the water treatment plants were recognized for their “dedication to public health protection” and that water clarity is key to “reducing the potential for harmful microorganisms,” which prevents waterborne illnesses.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 6.1: By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all. The article directly supports this target by describing the efforts of Johnston County Public Utilities to provide “safe, reliable, and high-quality drinking water” to its residents. The recognition for “surpassing federal and state drinking water standards” demonstrates a commitment to providing safely managed water.
• Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and water and soil pollution and contamination. The article implies progress toward this target by emphasizing “public health protection.” The process of removing “turbidity” is explicitly linked to ensuring “effective disinfection and reducing the potential for harmful microorganisms,” which directly contributes to preventing illnesses from contaminated water.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Turbidity Levels: The article explicitly mentions that facilities are evaluated on their ability to remove “turbidity, a measure of water clarity.” This is a direct, measurable indicator of water quality and the effectiveness of the treatment process in removing contaminants and ensuring disinfection. Low turbidity is an indicator of safe drinking water.
• Compliance with and Exceeding Standards: The article states that the water treatment plants were honored for “surpassing federal and state drinking water standards.” This serves as a qualitative indicator of high performance and the provision of safely managed water.
• Awards and Recognition: The “Area-Wide Optimization Program (AWOP) Award” and the “Gold Star status” are specific, albeit indirect, indicators. They function as benchmarks of excellence, signifying that the utility is not just meeting but significantly exceeding performance goals for water safety and quality, thus contributing to public health.
• Proactive Water Quality Monitoring: The mention of “proactive water quality monitoring” is an indicator of the processes and systems in place to ensure water safety is consistently maintained, which is essential for achieving Target 6.1 and 3.9.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: jocoreport.com