DAPHNE, Ala.—Daphne Utilities celebrated receiving an award from the Environmental Protection Agency for safe drinking water and was informed the utility was selected as a recipient of another EPA award for being a “Gulf Guardian.”

Daphne Utilities was one of three utilities to receive the “Safe Water Drinking Water” award from region IV of the EPA. Daphne Utilities was selected a winner in the large ground water system category, which serves populations between 10,000 and 100,000.

“For developing some great quality drinking water for the people of the Eastern Shore and for being a great representative of the state and the nation as a whole,” Rob McElroy, general manager of Daphne Utilities said of the award.

He considers the award a great honor for the organization, but he also said the acclaim belongs to employees.

“To receive the safe drinking water award from the EPA is a great honor for our company but it is an even greater honor for them [the employees] because they are the ones that made it happen. Only three systems in the Southeast received this honor last year, despite the fact that we are compared to much larger systems, our employees and their dedication distinctly separated us from all others being considered. They simply wouldn’t settle for ‘good enough’ and that made all the difference in the world,” McElroy said.

Daphne Utilities was also one of 21 organizations selected as a “Gulf Guardian.”

The Gulf Guardian awards will be presented later this summer in New Orleans. The award honors organizations that are making efforts to keep the gulf healthy, beautiful and productive.