KANNAPOLIS – The staff at the Kannapolis water treatment plant has earned the North Carolina’s Area Wide Optimization Program Award, which means turbidity levels in the city’s water are below federal and state minimums.

Turbidity is a measure of cloudiness or haziness in the water caused by particles that can interfere with disinfection.

While all drinking water systems have to meet federal and state standards, Kannapolis has met performance goals that are significantly more stringent. The award shows how dedicated the water treatment plant staff is to providing a safe and dependable supply of drinking water, city officials said.

 The Area Wide Optimization Program is a joint program between the federal Environmental Protection Agency the states. North Carolina has participated since 2000 and works cooperatively with water systems to use equipment and treatment processes to optimize water quality.