The Water Council won the inaugural Growing Blue Award presented by Veolia Water at American Water Summit 2012 in Chicago. The Water Council was one of nine nominees for the award. The other three finalists were Ceres, The Louisville Water Company, and Water Environment Foundation.
The Milwaukee Water Council was recognized for comprehensive efforts to build collaboration among regional companies, governments, universities and entrepreneurs that supports economic growth and positions Milwaukee as an important global water hub.
Each finalist gave presentations during the event’s Gala Dinner in front of hundreds of attendees who voted electronically for the organization that best utilized water as a tool for economic development. At the end of the night, it was announced that The Water Council had won the prize and Dean Amhaus, President and CEO of The Water Council, took the stage to accept the award.
“Our focus on responsible, green economic growth and the advancement of water technologies is attracting global attention while spurring investments, jobs, research and development, and high levels of cooperation that we believe will ultimately make not just Milwaukee but the world a better place,” said Dean Amhaus. “We’re very honored to have been selected by those who best understand how water places a role in sustainability.”
The Water Council is incredibly thankful for the hard work of its staff, board of directors, members, and partners who all worked to make this possible. This award recognizes the drive and entrepreneurial spirit of the entire regional water cluster. Water has been Milwaukee’s link to economic sustainability for as long as it has been inhabited. We’re proud to say that’s a tradition that has continued to this day, and we’re excited to see where it takes us in the future.