Springfield Industries Recognized for 10+ Years Wastewater Discharge Compliance

The Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission (MWMC), in conjunction with the City of Springfield, recently presented International Paper Company, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, and Swanson Group MFG., LLC with Environmental Compliance Award trophies.  

These prestigious awards recognize each recipient’s continuous work to achieve 100% compliance with their Wastewater Discharge Permit for more than 10 consecutive years. This is a great accomplishment, and the MWMC and City of Springfield are grateful to each industry for their continued partnership.

“We thank each of these industries and their leadership for making wastewater permit compliance a priority over the past 10 years,” Shawn Krueger, City of Springfield Environmental Services Supervisor over Industrial Pretreatment, said. “Protecting our community’s health and environment requires partnership between public agencies, private businesses, and community members. We appreciate the role International Paper, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, and Swanson Group have played in this effort.”

Industrial users of the wastewater system throughout Springfield, which are categorized as Significant Industrial Users (SIUs), are issued a Wastewater Discharge Permit through the City of Springfield’s Industrial Pretreatment Program. These permits require sampling and analysis, general compliance monitoring, and spill control plans for industry-specific pollutants of concern, as well as on-site facility inspections. 

These regulations are in place to protect the City’s wastewater collection system, the MWMC’s regional wastewater treatment plant, worker safety and health, and the environment. Certain pollutants in industrial wastewater can interfere with treatment operations, damage infrastructure including pipes and pumps, or even pass directly through the treatment plant to our local waterways as untreatable. Springfield’s Industrial Pretreatment Program strives to prevent those negative outcomes by proactively working alongside industries.  

In total, the MWMC, in conjunction with the City of Springfield, issued Certificates of Environmental Compliance to 12 Springfield industries for 2020. The presentation of trophies for those industries who have achieved this accolade for more than 10 consecutive years was implemented in 2021, to further recognize the considerable effort and diligence it takes to maintain 100% compliance over an entire decade.

The City of Springfield manages its own Industrial Pretreatment Program which works closely with the MWMC and City of Eugene. To learn more about this regional approach to Industrial Pretreatment, visit https://www.mwmcpartners.org/about-the-mwmc/industrial-pretreatment. To learn more about the City of Springfield’s Industrial Pretreatment Program, visit http://www.springfield-or.gov/city/development-public-works/industrial-pretreatment

• What: Three Springfield industries presented with Environmental Compliance Award trophies in recognition of 10+ consecutive years of 100% compliance with their Wastewater Discharge Permit
• Who: International Paper Company, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend, and Swanson Group MFG., LLC
• When: Environmental Compliance Award trophies presented November 2021 
• Where: Springfield, Oregon
• Additional information: Shawn Krueger, City of Springfield Environmental Services Supervisor, at 541.736.1018 orskrueger@springfield-or.gov
• Background: The mission of the Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission is to protect the community’s health and the environment by providing high-quality wastewater services to the Eugene-Springfield metropolitan area in partnership with Eugene, Springfield, and Lane County. Local representatives from each of the partners – Lane County, City of Springfield, and City of Eugene – serve on the Commission. Learn more at mwmcpartners.org.