Strategic Management and Cost Savings through an ISO 14001:2004 Certified Environmental Management System

Palm Bay Utilities Department
Palm Bay, Florida

This paper describes the development of an Environmental Management System (EMS) named “GreenWay” to achieve strategic objectives and cost savings. The City of Palm Bay Utilities Department developed in an 18 month period an EMS that culminated in a third-party recommendation for ISO 14001:2004 certification without a major or minor deficiency. On August 4, 2008, the Palm Bay Utilities Department (PBUD) became the first water and wastewater utility in the state of Florida (public or private) to be ISO 14001:2004 registered. The Utilities Department also became the first water and wastewater utility in the nation to achieve independent registration of an EMS for all aspects of its organization immediately following an initial audit. Within one year of becoming certified, Palm Bay’s Water and Sewer Improvement Bond Rating was raised from an ‘A-’ to an ‘A’ acknowledging better resource management and lower investment risk in part due to an EMS. Source: WEFTEC 2009 Proceedings

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Posted: August 27th, 2010 | Filed under: 100K-500K, Waste Water Treatment, Water Treatment | Tags: Cost Savings, Environmental Impact, Maximize Sustainability | No Comments »

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