Three awards presented during Oregon APWA conference
The City of Pendleton has received three state-level awards from the Oregon Chapter of the American Public Works Association.
During the Oregon APWA Conference, Oct. 28-Oct 31 in Bend, the City of Pendleton received three awards:
- Project of the Year: Structures, less than $5 million: Pendleton Bus Barn Facility
- Sustainability Practices Award (project): Solar Canopy at Pendleton WWTRRF
- Sustainability Practices Award (individual): Kyle Willman, assistant public works director
The APWA Sustainability Practices Award recognizes individuals, programs, agencies and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to promote sustainability in public works. The award is intended to recognize systems thinking, long term design practices, and infrastructure systems that sustain society.
Sustainability is accomplished by the efficient and cost-effective delivery of infrastructure in an environmentally and socially responsible way that ensures the best choice in the long term. Up to two Sustainability Practices Awards are presented annually in the following categories: individual or program/agency/organization.
For 2025, both sustainability awards went to the City of Pendleton. The project award recognizes the Solar Canopy project at the Wastewater Treatment Resource Recovery Facility (WWTRRF) and the individual award recognizes Assistant Public Works Director Kyle Willman, WWTRRF superintendent and the force behind the Solar Canopy and other renewable resource projects at the facility.
Completed earlier this year, the Solar Canopy Project includes a array of solar panels over the chlorine contact chamber at the WWTRRF. This canopy generates power for the facility while also shading and cooling the water below, reducing he amount of chlorine chemical lost due to UV degradation.
“Receiving the APWA Sustainability Practice Award is a testament to the outstanding teamwork between AMERESCO and our Wastewater Treatment Plant staff. Together, we turned this vision into reality, advancing sustainability, efficiency, and environmental stewardship for our community,” Willman said.
More information on the Solar Canopy Project is available on the Pendleton Projects website at https://pendletonprojects.com/node/164 . Find more about the Oregon Chapter of APWA at https://oregon.apwa.org/
###
Nov. 3, 2025
