ACEC 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards
The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Indiana announced its 2026 Engineering Excellence Awards. Commonwealth was recognized for four award-winning projects – three State Finalists and one Merit Award. We are grateful for our continued partnerships with communities that strive daily to demonstrate innovation, complexity, achievement, and value through the design and implementation of their public works projects!
City of Greenfield – Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements – Merit Finalist Award
Greenfield’s WWTP project is Indiana’s largest sequencing batch reactor (SBR) facility, uniquely constructed on a remediated former solid waste site. The 8MGD wastewater treatment plant features screening, grit removal, chemical and biological phosphorus removal, UV disinfection, sludge processing, and sepatage receiving facilities, showcasing innovative design and environmental restoration.
City of Portage – WWTP Final Clarifier Improvements – State Finalist Award
The project included improvements to the City’s aging secondary clarifiers, replacement of a broken headworks screen, and construction of a grid tied solar power system to offset the energy consumption of the wastewater treatment plant. The solar power system is eligible for Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) credits.
Highland Sanitary District – Sanitary Sewer Overflow Remedial Project – State Finalist Award
The SSO Remedial Project Phase I Division A included the construction of approximately 5,080 linear feet of sanitary sewer ranging from eighteen to sixty inches in diameter using open-cut and trenchless construction methods. The project was required by the Highland’s federally mandated consent decree to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows.
Evansville Water and Sewer Utility – Wansford Yard Lift Station Project – State Finalist Award
The Wansford Yard project featured a 20MGD lift station, upgradable to 25MGD, plus 8,700 LF of 30-inch force main and 2,500 LF of 6-inch waterline. It also included 3,000 LF of 30-inch interceptor, an open-cut excavation across Pigeon Creek, and two 54-inch microtunnels totaling 850 feet.
Commonwealth Engineers, Inc. (CEI) – Headquartered in Indianapolis, CEI also has offices in Crown Point, Evansville, Fort Wayne, Huntingburg, South Bend, Indiana, and Bowling Green, Kentucky. Since 1974, CEI has been committed to being a trusted leader in environmental engineering and consulting.
ACEC Indiana is a professional trade association representing the business interests of the civil engineering profession and offers professional knowledge and services to enhance the quality of life for every citizen in Indiana. Professional Engineers design roads and bridges, clean water and wastewater systems, structures, mechanical and electrical systems, redevelopment of brownfields, and more. For more information about the organization, visit acecindiana.org.