HCWA Rings in the New Year Celebrating Six Industry Awards

The Henry County Water Authority (HCWA) is ringing in the New Year by celebrating six industry awards received at the year-end Fall Conference of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals (GAWP), which recognized the utility as one of the best water and sewer systems in the state.

Among the highlights of the GAWP Fall Conference Awards Program was the HCWA accepting the Collection System and Water Distribution System Excellence Awards. The HCWA received the GAWP Collection System and Water Distribution System Platinum Awards for achieving a grade of 95% or higher on the annual evaluation of these respective systems for at least five consecutive years.

In fact, the HCWA has achieved a 95% grade for its Collection System for 14 consecutive years, while the HCWA Water Distribution System has reached this 95% threshold for 10 consecutive years now. These respective HCWA systems are judged annually by fellow water professionals from around the state to determine whether they qualify for the GAWP System Excellence Awards.

The GAWP Collection System Platinum Award recognizes those utilities who strive to continually improve their sewer collection and conveyance systems through proper management, maintenance, and operations. The grading criteria follow practices that include preventative maintenance, system evaluation, rehabilitation programs, training, and more.

The GAWP Water Distribution System Platinum Award recognizes those utilities that excel in the management, operation, and maintenance of their water distribution system. According to GAWP officials, by achieving this award, the HCWA has demonstrated the highest quality water system operations for the benefit of its customers.

In addition to receiving the GAWP System Excellence Awards, the HCWA also received GAWP Laboratory Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Awards for both its Walnut Creek Wastewater Laboratory as well as its Tussahaw Water Quality Laboratory.

GAWP judges recognized the HCWA Walnut Creek Water Reclamation Facility’s Wastewater Laboratory with a Platinum Award for facilities treating between 5 to 20 million gallons of wastewater per day (MGD). The Laboratory QA/QC Platinum Award recognizes those labs who score 95% or higher on the annual evaluation by industry judges for at least five consecutive years.

The HCWA Tussahaw Water Quality Lab received the GAWP QA/QC Gold Award for grading out at 95% or higher during the 2025 program year. GAWP judges recognized the Tussahaw Lab in the category of water treatment plants serving more than 100,000 citizens.

These QA/QC Awards encourage the professional advancement of laboratories within the water industry in Georgia. The awards judging process provides an avenue for peers to exchange ideas, circulate technical expertise, and offer productive feedback. According to GAWP officials, this award recognizes those laboratories who possess outstanding quality assurance programs.

Rounding out the 2025 GAWP Fall Conference Awards, the HCWA Tussahaw Water Treatment Plant also received a Safety Certificate of Excellence, in addition to the staff being recognized with a GAWP Gold Award for its Consumer Confidence Report (CCR).

This is the first year the HCWA has received the Safety Certificate of Excellence, which honors a facility that promotes, encourages and produces a safe working atmosphere for each employee. The CCR Gold Award, which the Authority last won in 2017, recognizes a utility for publishing and distributing an excellent water quality report to inform customers of what is in their drinking water and why, while assuring them that HCWA tap water is safe to drink.



The HCWA staff rings in the New Year by receiving six industry awards from the Georgia Association of Water Professionals to close out 2025.








Receiving the GAWP Collection System Platinum Award on behalf of the HCWA are (left to right): Brock Biles, Zachary Watson, Isaac Banks, Adam Bentley, and Cliff Hardin.







Receiving the GAWP Water Distribution System Platinum Award on behalf of the HCWA are (left to right): Brock Biles, Allen Rape, HCWA General Manager Tony Carnell, Kelvin Campbell, who is retiring after 37 years of service, Lesa Walker, and Jake Polvi.