Matthew Csik Honored with National Association of Water Companies’ 2021 Living Water Award
CAMDEN, N.J. – OCT. 6, 2021 – Matthew Csik, Director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance for New Jersey American Water, is the recipient of the National Association of Water Companies’ (NAWC) 2021 Living Water Award. Presented at the NAWC Annual Water Summit in Chicago, the Living Water Award recognizes the regulated water industry professional who best demonstrates excellence in serving their community, colleagues, industry or environment.
Csik is being honored for his efforts to identify the presence of 1,4-dioxane that was detected during routine water testing in the Delaware River by New Jersey American Water. 1,4 dioxane is an unregulated synthetic chemical unlikely to pose an acute health risk in the amounts detected, but previously not found in the river. Currently, water systems are not required to test for or remove this chemical if it is found and there is no nationwide or state maximum contaminant level in effect for 1,4-dioxane in drinking water.
In consultation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and other agencies, New Jersey American Water conducted additional sampling to help inform response activities and identify possible sources of the chemical. Csik personally took additional samples to expedite the inquiry. His work led to identifying the source area many miles upstream, in Pennsylvania, and resulted in NJDEP establishing a multi-state working group to pinpoint the source of the compound.
“Matt’s diligence in investigating the source of this chemical was critical to our understanding of this issue,” said New Jersey American Water President Mark McDonough. “His actions enabled us to understand the levels of this compound in the source water and initiate the design to treat for it at our Delaware River Regional Water Treatment Plant ahead of the formal adoption of a regulation. Sharing the results with regulators and partners and communicating his proactive sampling and mitigation plan helped build trust with our customers and the communities we serve.”
“The strong sense of accountability and responsibility that Matt demonstrated in addressing an emerging compound exemplifies the caliber and professionalism of regulated water industry professionals,” said NAWC President & CEO Robert F. Powelson. “By going above and beyond to promote public health and prioritize the safety of local drinking water sources, Csik has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of people living in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.”
More information about Matthew Csik and all the 2021 Living Water Award finalists can be found at www.nawc.org/news-events/awards/living-water-awards.
New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.8 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com and follow New Jersey American Water on Twitter and Facebook.
About American Water
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable, and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
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CAMDEN, N.J. – OCT. 6, 2021 – Matthew Csik, Director of Water Quality and Environmental Compliance for New Jersey American Water, is the recipient of the National Association of Water Companies’ (NAWC) 2021 Living Water Award. Presented at the NAWC Annual Water Summit in Chicago, the Living Water Award recognizes the regulated water industry professional who best demonstrates excellence in serving their community, colleagues, industry or environment.
Csik is being honored for his efforts to identify the presence of 1,4-dioxane that was detected during routine water testing in the Delaware River by New Jersey American Water. 1,4 dioxane is an unregulated synthetic chemical unlikely to pose an acute health risk in the amounts detected, but previously not found in the river. Currently, water systems are not required to test for or remove this chemical if it is found and there is no nationwide or state maximum contaminant level in effect for 1,4-dioxane in drinking water.
In consultation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and other agencies, New Jersey American Water conducted additional sampling to help inform response activities and identify possible sources of the chemical. Csik personally took additional samples to expedite the inquiry. His work led to identifying the source area many miles upstream, in Pennsylvania, and resulted in NJDEP establishing a multi-state working group to pinpoint the source of the compound.
“Matt’s diligence in investigating the source of this chemical was critical to our understanding of this issue,” said New Jersey American Water President Mark McDonough. “His actions enabled us to understand the levels of this compound in the source water and initiate the design to treat for it at our Delaware River Regional Water Treatment Plant ahead of the formal adoption of a regulation. Sharing the results with regulators and partners and communicating his proactive sampling and mitigation plan helped build trust with our customers and the communities we serve.”
“The strong sense of accountability and responsibility that Matt demonstrated in addressing an emerging compound exemplifies the caliber and professionalism of regulated water industry professionals,” said NAWC President & CEO Robert F. Powelson. “By going above and beyond to promote public health and prioritize the safety of local drinking water sources, Csik has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of people living in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.”
More information about Matthew Csik and all the 2021 Living Water Award finalists can be found at www.nawc.org/news-events/awards/living-water-awards.
New Jersey American Water, a subsidiary of American Water (NYSE: AWK), is the largest investor-owned water utility in the state, providing high-quality and reliable water and/or wastewater services to approximately 2.8 million people. For more information, visit www.newjerseyamwater.com and follow New Jersey American Water on Twitter and Facebook.
About American Water
With a history dating back to 1886, American Water is the largest and most geographically diverse U.S. publicly traded water and wastewater utility company. The company employs more than 7,000 dedicated professionals who provide regulated and market-based drinking water, wastewater and other related services to 15 million people in 46 states. American Water provides safe, clean, affordable, and reliable water services to our customers to help make sure we keep their lives flowing. For more information, visit amwater.com and follow American Water on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.