Aerojet Wins Award for Water Treatment Facility in Ancil Hoffman Park

A groundwater extraction and treatment facility in Carmichael's has led to an environmental award for the Aerojet company, officials have announced.

Chris Conley, Aerojet's vice-president of environmental health and safety, was presented with the National Association of Environmental Professionals' 2011 Environmental Excellence Award for Public Partnerships.

"We are deeply honored to receive NAEP's Excellence Award," Conley said in a released statement.

There is a cooperative partnership between Aerojet, the Carmichael Water District and Sacramento County Parks on the facility. It was contructed to remove N-Nitrosodimethylamine, a byproduct associated with liquid rocket engine testing, while also protecting the water district's down gradient drinking water sources. The project also repurposes the treated effluent for park irrigation, conserving about 1.25 million gallons of potable water annually, saving the county about $100,000 in annual water costs.

"The project takes the treated groundwater to irrigate , provide water to make a nature pond at and clean up contamination from Aerojet," said Steve Nugent, the water district's general manager. "It's a bigger benefit to the environment."

The Ancil Hoffman project enjoyed the regulatory support of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Regional Water Quality Control Board and the state Department of Toxic Substances Control.