“One of the most coveted and prestigious public works awards is sponsored each year by APWA and is presented to ten individual leaders whose excellence in public works earns them the distinction of the Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year," the  American Public Works Association stated in announcing the awards. "The honorees are awarded this recognition for their professionalism, expertise and personal dedication to improving the quality of life in their communities through the advancement of public works services and technology.”                                                                        

Mr. Chow has been director of DPW since 2014. Prior to that he was the agency’s Deputy Director and head of DPW’s Bureau of Water and Wastewater. He oversees a City agency of approximately 2,800 employees with a capital and operating budget of over $1 billion. The agency is crucial for the health, environment and economy of Baltimore and the region by providing customers with safe drinking water and keeping neighborhoods and waterways clean. 

Mr. Chow commented: “I am honored that my peers have recognized our work in Baltimore. It only makes me want to work harder for our citizens.” 

Mr. Chow was cited for the agency being one of only 12 entities in nine states invited to apply for $200 million in credit assistance under EPA’s Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA) program. WIFIA funding will be used to improve DPW’s stormwater infrastructure. The loan was awarded in early 2019. 

The WIFIA program accelerates investment in the nation’s water infrastructure by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for regionally and nationally significant projects. DPW will use this for a comprehensive infrastructure repair, rehabilitation and replacement program. 

Mr. Chow led the Department of Public Works to modify the City’s wastewater consent decree. The modified decree, entered in 2017, builds on the extensive work already accomplished, and provides for a system that will capably serve the City and protect the environment for generations to come. Chow recognized that this is work that must be done to secure the long-term future of the City’s critical infrastructure, and make sure Baltimore’s waterways are as clean as can be. 

In January 2019, DPW held its second annual public meeting on the modified consent decree. There Director Chow rolled out a new online interactive map for real-time data on sanitary sewer overflows. 

Baltimore’s Department of Public Works has been extremely busy with rehabilitating aged drinking water lines at a rate of 15 miles annually, and with on-going work to enclose our finished drinking water in protective tanks at Druid Lake, Ashburton, and Guilford. In addition, major stream restoration projects continue, along with the massive Headworks project at Back River – the most important environmental construction in Baltimore in 100 years,