Elmhurst was honored for its efforts in maintaining the water system. | Wikimedia Commons
Elmhurst was honored for its efforts in maintaining the water system. | Wikimedia Commons
District trustee for the Illinois Chapter of the American Water Works Association Ralph Gross honored the city of Elmhurst the "Gold Water Ambassador" award at its May 15 City Council meeting.
"I'm here to present to you and the citizens of Elmhurst yet another reason to feel proud of their city government and the utilities division of the Public Works department," Gross said. "And, of course, the great city of Elmhurst, Illinois."
He explained the Water Ambassador program’s objective is "to elevate public perception, promote conservation and consumer education of the water industry to municipalities, government and its citizens. The program is somewhat like the Tree City USA program is for the urban canopy. And like the Tree City designation, the Water Ambassador Gold Award is frequently publicized on signs, stationery and informative literature to further spread the message of conservation and protecting water and the environment.”
He commended Elmhurst for going above and beyond in its efforts. For example, the city immediately participated in the online communication tool to promote information and engagement with its citizens. It organized a highly successful “Sustainability Day” where personnel talked with residents and informed them on the intricacies of water systems and their city’s water.
“The water department implemented a very advanced remote water main monitoring technology that will alert them when a leak is present," Gross said. “It's literally saved the city as much as 131 million gallons of water a year, which is incredible.”
The Gold Award was only given to 12 communities across the state of Illinois this year, and Elmhurst is one of only nine that received the designation for the second year in a row, which is each year since the program started in 2021.
In his secondary role as president of Associated Technical Services, Gross has helped the city find and stop more than 2,000 leaks since the 1980s. The mayor and council celebrated the city’s success and the community’s willingness to engage and learn. They especially thanked the water department for all the effort they had put into receiving this honor.
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