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From Water and Wastewater.com Industry News
Called one of the most promising advancements ever in restoring the Everglades, the project was chosen the year's best engineering achievement Monday, over such projects as the new Rion-Antirion Bridge in Greece, and Chicago's new Millennium Park. Representatives from Kansas City-based Burns & McDonnell, received the ACEC "Grand Conceptor Award" for producing the nation's top engineering effort, during ceremonies attended by more than 800 engineers and dignitaries from around the world in Washington D.C. The Florida Everglades is the only natural habitat of its kind on the planet, but urban development and phosphorus-enriched stormwater runoff from agriculture and other sources was destroying the ecosystem's native population of plants and animals. Burns & McDonnell designed the wetlands to improve the quality of water entering the Everglades from adjacent agricultural properties and other sources. Known officially as Stormwater Treatment Area No. 3/4 in Broward and West Palm Beach Counties, the treatment area is larger than the island of Manhattan, and the largest constructed wetlands in the world. In the first five months after its completion, the new wetlands treated nearly a half-million acre feet of inflow, with an average phosphorous outflow of 12 parts per billion (ppb)--well below the target level of 50 ppb. Founded in 1898, Burns & McDonnell is an international engineering, construction, environmental, and consulting firm. The project was among 175 engineering projects by U.S. firms from across the nation and throughout the world that were recognized by ACEC as preeminent engineering achievements for 2005. Seven other national projects were presented with "Grand Awards" for excellence, and 16 projects received "Honor Awards." About ACEC The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) is the business association of America's engineering industry, representing approximately 5,500 independent engineering companies throughout the United States engaged in the development of America's transportation, environmental, industrial, and other infrastructure. Founded in 1910 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., ACEC is a national federation of 51 state and regional organizations. Sources: http://www.acec.org/ and http://www.burnsmcd.com/ © Copyright 1998 - 2010 Water and Wastewater.com |
