For Immediate Release – July 18, 2008

AUSTIN - Austin Water Utility's (AWU) 16th Annual Awards for Excellence event will honor 39 AWU customers at City Hall in the Council Chambers on July 22, beginning at 7:30 a.m. for their pretreatment of wastewater, and efforts to protect and conserve water. AWU will host the event and has invited the Mayor, City Council members and City staff to attend.

AWU staff administers local, state and federal regulations affecting area businesses and the quality of the wastewater discharged into the City of Austin's publicly owned wastewater treatment system. By controlling the quality and quantity of their discharges into the City's wastewater system and protecting and conserving the drinking water, these area businesses improve public health and safety and help protect the environment.

One-year honorees for wastewater pretreatment:

AI Industries
Applied Materials, Inc.
Austin Coca Cola Bottling Co.
BOC Edwards Kachina
Brady's of Austin
Capitol Engraving Co. Inc.
Carbomedics, Inc.
City of Austin Solid Waste Services - Mabel Davis Park
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. - Ed Bluestein
HelioVolt Corporation
Hospira, Inc.
Liquid Environmental Solutions of Texas
Milk Products, L.P.
Molecular Imprints, Inc.
Pentagon Technologies Group
PharmaForm, L.L.C.
SACHEM, Inc. - Main
SACHEM, Inc. - Monterrey Oaks Facility
Seton Medical Center
Spansion, L.L.C.
St. David's Hospital
St. David's South Austin Hospital
Teravicta Technologies, Inc.
Texas Department of State Health Services
TLMI Corporation
Travis County TNR
Unifirst Corporation
University of Texas - J.J. Pickle Research Campus I
University of Texas - Main Campus

Honored for wastewater pretreatment for five consecutive years:
Austin Lighting Products
Brackenridge Hospital

Honored for wastewater pretreatment for six consecutive years:
North Austin Medical Center
Reit Management & Research LLC

Honored for wastewater pretreatment for nine consecutive years:
3M Austin Center

Honored for wastewater pretreatment for thirteen consecutive years:
University of Texas - J. J. Pickle Research Campus II

Honored for water conservation:
Freescale Semiconductor, Inc. - Oak Hill
Malibu Apartments
University of Texas at Austin

Honored for drinking water protection
Dorothy Evans - Westgate Condominium Association
Employees of Avery Ranch Golf Club

For additional information on Industrial Pretreatment and water protection, visit http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/water/specialservices.htm or contact the Austin Water Utility's Special Services Division at 972-1060.

Media Contact:
Kevin Buchman
Email to: Kevin.Buchman@ci.austin.tx.us
City of Austin Water Utility
(512) 972-0151; pgr.(512) 802-8959