It’s National Public Works Week, so the May issue of NewsSplash spotlights some of the good works of our more than 500 public works people – both on the job and on their own time. This month, read about how employees and subcontractors from one project marked Earth Day with a stream clean-up last month while others are helping kids learn about the work they do this week. And meet a public works employee who, while he works for us, has been recognized as an employee of the year by the city he serves.
Our company
Water For People workplace giving campaign underway
 CH2M HILL OMI employees this month kicked off our company's eighth annual employee giving campaign to benefit Water For People with activities in communities across North America. From silent auctions and bake sales to poker tournaments and potlucks, employees are finding creative ways to raise much-needed funds for this valuable organization. CH2M HILL's 2008 campaign was the most successful in Water For People's history, with more than $180,000 raised. In 2009, employees are stretching to reach $200,000! You don't have to be a CH2M HILL employee to donate. By visiting the Water For People Web site, you can make a donation and mark it as part of the CH2M HILL workplace giving campaign. It takes only $29 to provide clean water for a person's lifetime!
Design-build-operate projects honored for engineering excellence
The American Academy of Environmental Engineers earlier this month honored three CH2M HILL facilities for excellence in environmental engineering. Two California design-build-operate projects – the Clovis Wastewater Treatment/Water Reuse Plant and the San Diego County Water Authority Twin Oaks Valley Water Treatment Plant – earned 2009 Design Honor Awards. The Clovis facility uses the latest technology to relieve the demand on underground and surface water supplies and will provide recycled water for irrigation. Once it's built, CH2M HILL OMI will operate and maintain the Clovis facility for 10 years. Now operated by CH2M HILL OMI as part of the 20-year DBO contract, Twin Oaks is one of the largest treatment plants in the world to use submerged membrane technology to produce high-quality drinking water while reducing its environmental impact. The 2009 Grand Prize went to the Loudoun County, Va., Broad Run Water Reclamation Facility. The result of a 10-year partnership between Loudon Water and CH2M HILL, the plant features the world's first large-scale application of membrane bioreactor, carbon absorption and ultraviolet disinfection liquid treatment processes.
Our partners
Temple, Texas, area among Top 5 small cities for job growth
Small towns are charming, and in today’s challenging economic times they’re also one of the best places to find a job. The Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood metropolitan statistical area recently was named No. 5 in Forbes magazine’s list of Top 10 Best Small Cities for Jobs, racing 34 slots up the list since last year. The region has diverse employment opportunities, with leisure and hospitality jobs topping the charts with growth of 22.9 percent since 2003. The cost of living is below the national average, while the unemployment rate is 5.3 percent, compared to a national average of 8.5 percent. CH2M HILL OMI has managed the City of Temple’s 7.5-mgd Doshier Farm Wastewater Treatment Plant and 28 lift stations and administered the city’s the industrial pretreatment program since 1994. The Temple City Council just voted unanimously to renew the contract for 5 more years. Also in the region, CH2M HILL OMI is responsible for managing the City of Lampasas’ wastewater plant, sewer collection system, water distribution system, and water and electric meter reading services. The company operates and maintains water and wastewater facilities for 10 communities across Texas.
Our communities
Cleaning up our communities for Earth Day
In communities around the world, we work in partnership with our clients – not only on the day-to-day job but on important local events. Across the U.S. on Earth Day, employee volunteers came together to clean streams, parks, roadways and more in an effort to better the communities where we live and work. In Colorado, CH2M HILL OMI public works staff and subcontractors pitched in to help citizens in one Centennial neighborhood clean up Willow Creek. In less than 4 hours, 50 volunteers (some shown below) gathered 2 tons of trash. In Georgia, two dozen CH2M HILL employees who work at Milton city hall and in offices around metro Atlanta were among the more than 350 volunteers who cleaned five dumps, removed 1.5 linear miles of barbed wire fencing, cleaned nearly a mile of right-of-way, and cleared almost six acres of pasture in Milton’s 202-acre undeveloped Birmingham Park. In New Jersey, employees responsible for the operation and maintenance of two North Hudson Sewerage Authority wastewater facilities participated in the 2009 Union City Environmental and Wellness Fair. They helped adults and children gain a better understanding of wastewater treatment and handed out flowers and Earth Day t-shirts. These types of events take place not only on Earth Day but throughout the year, and through them our employees demonstrate the high value we place on our communities, both on and off the job.
Our industry
Preparing for a pandemic – Lessons from the Swine Flu scare
Talk of the H1N1 virus has us all thinking collectively about how we would deal with a pandemic or other emergency. Thankfully, the situation did not become as serious as was originally predicted. However, we learned a lot of important lessons about being prepared, collaborating and taking advantage of available resources so we could respond to the threat effectively. Within our own industry, emergency plans and other resources have been developed that can be incorporated into your community, company or utility emergency preparedness plans to help you be prepared for future situations. To learn more and take advantage of these valuable resources, visit the websites of the Alliance for Innovation, the American Water Works Association and the National League of Cities. NLC also developed "Promoting and Protecting Healthy Communities: A City Officials Guide to Public Health." We appreciate all of the hard work our friends in these organizations do to help members prepare and respond.
Celebrate National Public Works Week with us
Delivering public works has been part of CH2M HILL OMI's business since 1992. Today, our employees deliver public works services in 17 cities and counties across six states, where we began celebrating National Public Works Week Monday. More than 40 CH2M HILL OMI employees in Live Oak, Fla., are usually busy managing water and wastewater systems and delivering public works services such as street and right-of-way maintenance and solid-waste collection and disposal. About half of them took time out of their day to show off heavy equipment to approximately 120 fourth graders at Suwannee Intermediate School (shown). The fun was captured by the local newspaper and appears under "Favorites" on our YouTube page. Meanwhile, the CH2M HILL OMI-managed City of Johns Creek Public Works Department demonstrated to citizens and elected officials just how many people and what kind of equipment it takes to keep people moving on the city’s streets at its first-ever public works open house. Here, kids had a chance to play with toy versions of some of the machinery that was on display, testing their skills at loading, moving and dumping for a chance to win prizes. This combination of education and fun is exactly what the American Public Works Association had in mind when it instituted the week-long observance in 1960 to call attention to the importance of public works in community life. Thanks to all of our employees and our clients who serve the public good every day with quiet dedication.
Our people
City employee of the year is a CH2M HILL OMI employee
 The City of Richmond Hill, Ga., honored CH2M HILL OMI assistant project manager Rick Lauver as one of its three Employees of the Year for his service to the city's Public Works department. Rick has worked with the city for more than eight years and has 15 years of experience in public works. He started as a crew member and worked his way up to a management position, giving him a unique knowledge of the city and its public works challenges. Rick says helping residents every day and making the community a better place is what makes him enjoy his work the most. He credits his team for their hard work and dedication, and says he couldn't do his job without them. According to project manager David Buchanan, who nominated Rick for the award, Rick’s strongest trait is his can-do attitude, "even in times of crisis when everything is going against you, which helps to keep employee morale strong and gives the city a sense of security."
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President’s perspective
May is a busy month in our business, with the celebrations of National Public Works Week this week and National Drinking Water Week earlier in the month. May is also when our company sponsors our annual Water For People workplace giving campaign. All three of these activities share a common bond – a commitment to better communities.
Water For People helps people in developing countries improve their quality of life by supporting the development of locally sustainable drinking water resources, sanitation facilities, and health and hygiene education programs. The organization’s mission aligns closely with the values of our company and our clients, in a spirit of teamwork and community service.
We see the impact of this spirit of teamwork every day as our employees show their dedication and commitment to the communities where they live and work. We like to say we "check our logo at the door" in serving our clients. A great example of this is Rick Lauver, assistant project manager in Richmond Hill, Ga., who was chosen as one of the city's 2008 Employees of the Year. This marks the second year that a CH2M HILL OMI employee has earned this honor.
I had an opportunity to visit Richmond Hill a couple of months ago. The pride of our team there was evident. And of course the support of our clients, Mayor Richard Davis and City Manager Michael Melton, makes it possible for us to do our best to help the city shine.
As Public Works Week draws to a close, I want to acknowledge the fine work these unsung heroes do to keep our client communities safe, healthy and clean. We appreciate their efforts, dedication and commitment to everyday excellence!
Respectfully,
Elisa M. Speranza
President
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Conferences are a great way for us to connect with clients, share our technical expertise and support our industry. When your plans call for you to attend a conference, make sure to look us up. Here are some of the upcoming hot spots where you can meet CH2M HILL OMI: |
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Clients in government and industry rely on the people of CH2M HILL OMI to provide a range of custom-tailored operations and maintenance solutions. The company's services include water and wastewater system optimization; contract O&M of water, wastewater and other utilities; and complete municipal operations, including administration, public works and community development – all backed by a commitment to safety, quality, innovation and customer service. Founded by CH2M HILL in 1980, the company serves clients in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada, Puerto Rico and the Middle East.
Headquartered near Denver,Colo., employee-owned CH2M HILL is a global leader in full-service engineering, procurement, construction and operations for public and private clients. With more than $6.4 billion in revenue and more than 25,000 employees worldwide, CH2M HILL delivers innovative, practical, sustainable solutions – helping clients develop and manage infrastructure and facilities that improve efficiency, safety, and quality of life. The firm long has been recognized as a most-admired company and leading employer, including being named by FORTUNE magazine as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For (2009) and one of America's Most Admired Companies (2008). CH2M HILL is an industry-leading program management, construction management and design firm as ranked by Engineering News-Record (2008).
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