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~ Springfield, a bustling city in the heart of the United States, is gearing up to celebrate National Public Works Week from May 19-25. This annual event aims to recognize and honor the hard work and dedication of Public Works and Environmental Services professionals who play a vital role in maintaining the city's public health, quality of life, and overall well-being.

According to Errin Kemper, Director of Environmental Services, Public Works Week is an opportunity to celebrate the tireless efforts of these talented professionals who work behind the scenes to ensure essential services and infrastructure are in place for the community. "No matter what is going on in our community, these folks are working quietly in the background to ensure essential quality of life services and infrastructure is there," says Kemper.

The theme for this year's National Public Works Week is "Advancing Quality of Life for All," which recognizes how public works professionals contribute to creating healthier, happier, and more vibrant communities. These professionals provide a wide range of services such as transportation, water management, wastewater treatment, stormwater management, maintenance of public buildings and spaces, emergency response, solid waste management, and right-of-way management.

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To showcase their achievements and contributions to the city, Springfield has released its 2023 Public Works Annual Report. The report highlights the department's accomplishments over the past year and includes a breakdown of their budget for fiscal year 2023. It also provides details on roadway crash data and ongoing infrastructure improvement projects.

Dan Smith, Director of Public Works, expresses his excitement about sharing their accomplishments through this annual report. "This is a great way for each of our divisions to tell their story and celebrate the services provided, projects completed and the many jobs well done throughout the year," says Smith.

In Springfield, traditional public works responsibilities are divided between two departments - Public Works and Environmental Services. The Public Works Department oversees engineering services, transportation systems, stormwater management, and maintenance of facilities and grounds. They are responsible for managing over 1,770 lane miles of roadway, 141 traffic signals, and the construction of new infrastructure. They also manage the city's cemetery and take care of more than 20,000 public trees and hundreds of acres of right-of-way.

On the other hand, the Environmental Services department focuses on protecting the city's unique natural resources and citizens' quality of life. They manage wastewater treatment, stormwater management, and solid waste disposal. The department ensures that wastewater flows efficiently through 1,200 miles of sewer mains to the city's two award-winning treatment plants where they treat 44 million gallons every day. They also operate three recycling collection centers that help divert nearly 3,900 tons of recyclable waste from landfills each year. Additionally, they run various programs to prevent urban pollution from contaminating local streams and lakes.

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Both departments have a long-standing reputation for their leadership, innovation, and commitment to environmental stewardship. In 2021, they collectively achieved reaccreditation from the American Public Works Association (APWA) with a perfect score. This accreditation certifies that Springfield's Public Works and Environmental Services departments meet all national best management practices in the public works industry - a distinction achieved by only 1% of communities across the country.

According to apwa.net, since its inception in 1960, National Public Works Week has grown in popularity each year. It serves as an opportunity to educate the public about the importance of public works projects in their daily lives. "At APWA, one of our main goals is to educate the general public about the value and necessities of public works projects throughout North America," says apwa.net.

As Springfield prepares to celebrate National Public Works Week this year with various staff events aimed at highlighting their achievements and services provided to citizens, it is evident that these professionals play a crucial role in making the city a vibrant place to live and work.

Filed Under: Government, City

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