In preparation for the upcoming Alliance For PE Pipe Industry Showcase in Clearwater Beach, FL, December 2-5, we are seeking your nominees for The Municipal Leadership Awards. The Award Program honors outstanding achievers who have embraced HDPE as a solution to their municipal pipe infrastructure program. You are encouraged to submit your projects, and those of your customers, clients, contractors, and end users.
Do feel free to share this request with your colleagues, municipal contacts, engineers, and field personnel. Award Categories include:
- Creative Trenchless Installation
- Innovative PE Solutions
- First Time User
- Dedicated User
- Environmental Sustainability
- National Government Leadership
Please Specify the organization(s) that should appear on the award. Deadline for submissions is Friday, November 1st, 5:00 PM EDT.
For further information and submission, go to:
pepipe.org/municipal-leadership-award-program
2024 Municipal Leadership Award Winners
Innovative PE Solutions 
Force Main Replacement for Lift Station “N” West Quachita Sewerage District No. 5
24” IPS 7,500’ DR 11
West Ouachita Parish, West Monroe, Louisiana,
Ph II 18” DIP FM to 24” HDPE pipe.
The original DIP system experienced leaks within 30 years due to corrosive soils.
Budget: $1.4 million,
Serves:8,000
Capacity: 1.5 M GPD
Ken Downey
Superintendent of Installation JS Haron
praised HDPE for its toughness, durability and flexibility, enabling pre-assembly of large sections for quicker installation in adverse weather conditions.
The project highlights HDPE’s advantages in durability, efficiency and cost-effectiveness for infrastructure upgrades.
Innovative PE Solutions 
Baltimore National Aquarium
Harbor Wetlands
26” IPS 2,080’ DR 32.5
Problem: The “Inner Harbor” in Chesapeake Bay, once a thriving tidal wetland marsh, has been transformed over time by docks and bulkheads due to urbanization and industrialization.
The Team: ISCO, Coastal Marine Construction and the Baltimore National Aquarium
ISCO played a key role in designing and supplying 208 HDPE floats.
Two 26” HDPE pontoons
ISCO’s HDPE floats set this project apart, providing resilience in brackish water and ensuring a durable solution. ISCO delivered the floats in just five months, including on-site welding of 30 one-inch ports to meet the Aquarium’s timeline.
First Time User 
Pronghorn Crossing Subdivision
Pinedale, WY
8” IPS 2,000’ DR 11 Water
8” IPS 1,800’ DR 17 Sewer
It marked the first time Moyes Family Homes and the City of Pinedale utilized HDPE. They chose this material to reduce costs and address key issues, such as infiltration problems associate with ductile iron and a significant 15% + water loss rate.
Dedicated User 
Tishomingo Water Well Transmission Line
16” DIPS 50,000’ DR 11
Tishomingo, Oklahoma, located in southeastern Oklahoma, serves as the capital of the Chickasaw Nation. To support future economic development, the city recognized the need to increase its water supply. Drawing on prior experience with HDPE pipe in golf course applications, the city manager was familiar with its durability, resilience, and cost-effectiveness.
Confident in its advantages, the city procured HDPE pipe for a new well source located approximately 10 miles away, even before the project’s design was fully finalized a year later.
Environmental Sustainability 
HRSD James River Crossing
48” & 54” IPS DR 11 – 17
In 2018, the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) launched the $2 billion SWIFT program to treat purified wastewater and reintroduce up to 120 million gallons per day into the Potomac Aquifer, ensuring groundwater sustainability and reducing river discharge.
The project includes a record-setting horizontal directional drill (HDD) and subaqueous installation of 54” and 48” HDPE pipes, reinforced with precast concrete ballast blocks.
The pipe will be fused on a barge and then sunk into the trench. After landfall in summer 2025, the pipeline will be backfilled and reinforced, highlighting innovative engineering to meet regional water needs.
Environmental Sustainability 
Vinfast Auto Plant
IPS 150,000’ DR 11 water, DR21 sewer,
DR 13.5 conduit, DR11 gas
WL Plastics supplied over 50 miles of HDPE pipe for the VinFast EV auto plant in Chatham County, South Carolina, supporting a $4 billion investment expected to create 7,500 jobs. The project included various pipe sizes, such as 10 miles of 36” DR11 blue stripe, 10 miles of 24” DR21 green stripe and 15 miles of conduit for fiber optic and natural gas distribution.
Originally planned with DIP, HDPE was chosen for its faster availability and installation speed. Construction involved moving 28 million tons of soil, demonstrating HDPE’s efficiency and adaptability in large-scale infrastructure projects.
Creative Trenchless Installation
The Unified Southern Sarpy Wastewater Project
14” – 36” DR 17 DIPS 26 miles
100’s of fab fittings
Sarpy County, NE,
Phase I – 19 miles of sewer, including 17 miles of 14” to 36” HDPE dual FM and 3 lift stations
70,000 acres now open for development
Purpose: Accommodate 40 years of population growth, create over 4,500 FT jobs and generate billions in economic impact
Sarpy County, NE, one of the state’s fastest-growing regions, faced geographical challenges limiting development in its southern areas due to insufficient infrastructure. The first phase involves constructing 19 miles of sewer lines, including 17 miles of 14” to 36” HDPE dual FM and 3 lift stations, opening approximately 70,000 acres for development.
Designed to accommodate 40 years of population growth, the project is expected to create over 4,500 full-time jobs and generate billions in economic impact through new spending, earnings and tax revenue.
Environmental, historic, and cultural considerations were prioritized. Impacts minimized on
- aquatic resources,
- habitats for endangered species,
- historical sites and
- Native American tribal interests.
HDPE expedited installation, ensured durable and efficient infrastructure
Lifetime Achievement
Municipal Leadership
“On the Road and on the Phone”
In recognition of a lifetime of achievement in the HDPE pipe world, The PE Alliance bestows the Lifetime Achievement Award to Richard Kolasa. He has devoted over 40 years of his life to the industry as a resin designer, pipe manufacturer and technical expert to help grow and make the industry the best practice in pipeline design and quality.
Recognized in both the US and Canada as one of the most innovative thinkers and problem solvers in the industry, Richard has shared his extensive knowledge and experience with all levels of the industry including end users, pipe sales people, design engineers, standards organizations, PPI and the PE Alliance. In particular, Richard’s support of the Alliance mission has helped it make a significant difference in municipal water and wastewater projects.
Significant Contributor
Municipal Leadership
“At Home and Abroad”
In recognition of his contributions and achievement as an HDPE expert and advocate in Central and South America. Juan has devoted years of knowledge and experience toward design, installation methods and industry best practices.
Juan is known throughout the industry as an innovative thinker and problem solver who willingly uses his knowledge and bilingual skills to serve various HDPE markets. Juan has willingly shared his extensive knowledge as an HDPE advisor and has been instrumental in advocating and supporting the Alliance for PE Pipe Mission at home and abroad.
Significant Contributor
Municipal Leadership
“On the Road”
In recognition of his contributions and achievement as an HDPE expert, demonstrator, planner and logistics chief, Bob is a 2024 Significant Contributor. Bob has devoted years of his life to supporting the many efforts of the PE Alliance and is known as a man who gets things done, on time, efficiently and with aplomb.
Bob has committed countless weekends to delivering the gear across the country in the “Penske” to bad banquet halls, no name hotels and big city convention centers. His management of the trade show program and fulfillment of the roadshow effort has been instrumental in advocating and supporting the Alliance for PE Pipe Mission.
