The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announced that the City of Wagner public water system's operation specialists have been awarded a Drinking Water Certificate of Achievement Award.

"Most customers do not realize what it takes to meet all of the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act and all to often take for granted the behind the scene efforts of these unsung heroes to provide their communities with safe drinking water. We are especially grateful for these essential employees during the current COVID-19 pandemic," said DENR Secretary Hunter Roberts. "DENR is excited to award the City of Wagner and its system operation specialists with a Drinking Water Certification Award for their diligence in providing safe drinking water to their customers in 2019 and throughout the pandemic."

The system's operation specialists are Mike Jansen and Michael Kazena.

To qualify for the Drinking Water Certification of Achievement Award, public water systems and their system operations specialists had to meet all of the compliance monitoring and reporting requirements, drinking water standards, and certification requirements for 2019.