Wake County's Rowe, Groundwater Section Win State Public Health Awards

10/23/2006

Wake County's Environmental Services (ES) Department received a double honor recently from the North Carolina Public Health Association (NCPHA).

At the NCPHA's annual meeting October 12 in New Bern, ES Director Rick Rowe received the J.M. Jarrett Award, which recognizes public health practitioners and others who have made a major contribution in the improvement of man's environment. Also at its annual meeting, the NCPHA presented the Norton Group Award to the ES Water Quality Division's Groundwater Section. The Norton Group Award is given annually to a group for outstanding cooperation and service to public health in North Carolina during the past year.

Rowe was recognized for his ongoing contributions to environmental health, working on the national, regional and local levels, through his work, professional organizations and his personal life. Recent accomplishments include his work to create the County's ES Department, his work on the County's Watershed Management Plan, Comprehensive Groundwater Investigation, statewide coordination for local governments to comply with National Pollution Discharge Elimination System requirements, and his current work on the Stormwater Management Task Force.

"We are fortunate in Wake County to have a high degree of support from our Board of Commissioners for environmental stewardship," Rowe said of his award, "and this has gone a long way to help us achieve these successes."

The Groundwater Section was recognized for collaboration with the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources to support legislation creating a mandatory statewide well program, leading to industry-wide changes and improvements in drinking water protection and quality; for serving as a model for the newly approved Safe Drinking Water/Private Wells Act; and for recognition by the Governor's Office and members of the General Assembly for the strength, integrity and scope of Wake County's Groundwater program.

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