WOC received the Engineering Excellence Grand Conceptor Award from the American Council of Engineering Companies – Hawaii (ACECH) for the Kaneohe-Kailua Wastewater Conveyance & Treatment Facilities Project. The KK Wastewater project, which cost $375 million, was completed on time and within budget. Construction of the tunnel, approximately three miles long from the Kaneohe Pretreatment Facility to the Kailua Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant, aligned under Oneawa Hills. The 10-foot gravity pipe conveys wastewater from Kaneohe to Kailua.

The ACECH held its annual Engineering Excellence Awards Banquet, the “Academy Awards” for Hawaii engineers, on Saturday February 2, 2019 at Koolau Ballrooms.  A panel of three judges evaluated the entries based on the judging criteria of innovative application of new or existing techniques; value to the engineering profession and perception by the public; social and economic considerations; complexity; and meeting or exceeding client needs.

The design team consisted of McMillen Jacobs, Brown & Caldwell, Yogi Kwong Engineers and RMA Architects.