PIERRE — This week the South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources announced the Brookings-Deuel Rural Water System public water system and the system’s operation specialists have been awarded a Secretary’s Award for Drinking Water Excellence.

“Consistent success is a true measure of excellence,” said DANR Secretary Hunter Roberts. “With more than 18 years of consecutive compliance, the Brookings-Deuel Rural Water System has demonstrated its commitment to providing its customers with safe and reliable drinking water.”

To qualify for the Secretary’s Award for Drinking Water Excellence, public water systems and their system operations specialists had to meet all of the compliance monitoring and reporting requirements, drinking water standards, and certification requirements for 10 consecutive years or more.