FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff received numerous awards at the 98th Annual AZ Water Conference hosted by the Arizona Water Association in Phoenix on April 16.
Among the award recipients were Engineering Senior Lead Project Manager David Pedersen, Emergency Management Director Stacey Brechler-Knaggs, and Water Production Manager Brian Huntzinger, who along with city contractors Hunter Contracting and Jacobs Engineering, won the Project of the Year Award for their work on the Inner Basin Waterline Restoration Project. Substantially completed in fall 2024, the project restored drinking water production from the Inner Basin after the 2022 Pipeline Fire. The subsequent monsoonal flooding damaged this critical waterline infrastructure which the project restored. The team was recognized by the Flagstaff City Council this week for their achievement.
Wastewater Treatment Manager Troy Dagenhart was awarded the Large System Operations Supervisor of the Year for his work overseeing the Wildcat Hill and Rio de Flag Water Reclamation Plants. Under Troy’s leadership, both facilities received recognition from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) Voluntary Environmental Stewardship Program. To qualify, facilities must demonstrate strong environmental compliance and go beyond legal requirements to protect human and environmental health.
The Flagstaff Water Resources and Conservation Team received the Outstanding Sustainability Award for their contributions to water sustainability in Flagstaff. Water Resources Section Director Erin Young, Conservation Program Manager Tamara Lawless, and Water Conservation Specialist Emily Melhorn have a combined 50 years of experience in both water and environmental sectors and are leaders in their roles as public servants. The water conservation program has been in operation for over twenty years and has been a critical force in the reduction of an annual-average daily per person water use in Flagstaff, from a peak of 189 gallons in the late 1980s to a current low of 89 gallons.
For more information about the AZ Water Association and Awards, visit azwater.org. More information about the City of Flagstaff’s Water Services can be found at flagstaff.az.gov/waterservices.