OPARC Program wins Huell Howser Best in Blue Award at
ACWA Annual Fall Conference
Rowland Water District’s (RWD) OPARC program was recognized for achieving communications excellence by the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA) at its 2017 Fall Conference and Exhibition in Anaheim.
RWD received the Huell Howser Best in Blue Award on Nov. 29, 2017 at the conference for its OPARC Fire Hydrant Maintenance Program.
The first-of-its-kind community outreach effort, employing adults with disabilities to paint fire hydrants, launched in January 2016, in partnership with OPARC, a non-profit organization that facilitates meaningful employment opportunities for adults with disabilities in Southern California.
“This program inspired our District, our community and our region,” said Rowland Water District General Manager Tom Coleman. “We are humbled to be honored with this prestigious award.”
Four special needs employees were selected by the OPARC organization to be a part of Rowland’s work force. They were paid $15.00 per hour, more than twice the amount they would otherwise receive from government subsidies. In just one year, the four participants repainted more than 1,000 hydrants.
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