The Protective & Marine Coatings division of The Sherwin-Williams Company is now accepting entry submissions for its annual Impact Award, which recognizes outstanding water and wastewater projects completed in North America. 

The Impact Award honors application contractors, specifiers and owners for excellence in delivering long-term asset protection for the wide array of systems and structures that make up North America’s water and wastewater infrastructure.

2020 Sherwin-Williams Impact Award-winning projects will be presented virtually on Nov. 17, 2020.

Any new, restored and/or rehabilitated water-related structure that used Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine coatings from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2019, is eligible for the award. 

Such projects include water treatment, water storage, water transmission, sewer collection and wastewater treatment structures, and are not limited to highly visible structures.

“The commitment the water and wastewater industry demonstrates in protecting and preserving our planet’s most essential resource – water – is unwavering. Contractors, specifiers and asset owners are not just concerned about their operations or bottom line. They’re committed to ensuring future generations have access to clean, safe drinking water,” said Murray Heywood, North America market manager, Water & Wastewater, Sherwin-Williams Protective & Marine. “We take great pride in honoring their contributions to enhancing public safety, protecting assets and extending infrastructure life with the Sherwin-Williams Impact Award.”

Applications for the award will be accepted Aug. 10 through Sept. 25, 2020. 

The application form and entry details can be found on the Sherwin-Williams website.

An independent panel of respected water industry experts will determine winners. 

Judges will rate entries on the difficulty of the submitted project; challenges overcome by the participants; solutions provided to the owner; how satisfied the parties were of the outcome; and the overall uniqueness of the project.

The 2019 Sherwin-Williams Impact Award winners included: 

• First Place:
  • The award-winning restoration of the 160-foot-tall, 1-million-gallon elevated water storage tank serving Fort Lauderdale, Florida nearly did not happen. The city had planned to demolish the almost 70-year-old fixture of the downtown skyline until the local community lobbied for its refurbishment instead. As a result, SUEZ completed a year-long restoration of the structure’s interior and exterior, which now welcomes city residents and visitors with an intricate, 11-color design.
• Runner-Up:
  • Operated by New Jersey American Water (NJAW), the more than 110-year-old standpipe serving Haddon Heights Township required restoration inside and outside. Starting in September 2018, coating contractor Titan Industrial Services, Inc. faced a tight deadline to complete restoration of the 63,000-gallon tank before winter arrived.
• Honorable Mention:
  • The honorable mention project entailed the restoration of a 2.5-million-gallon tank serving the Westwood neighborhood in Cincinnati. The tank now features colorful striping and the Westwood community name, officially welcoming visitors to the neighborhood. The adornment and logo are a first for Cincinnati, which previously did not have any water tanks with logos within city limits.