Clean Water Works – Details, episodes & analysis

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A lake that learns can change a region. Sam Martin, Director of Communications and Engagement at Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), shares how Lake Erie has become the world’s largest digitally-connected freshwater test bed—and why that matters for public health, utility costs, and the next wave of water-tech jobs. 

Sam walks us through the water economy—everything from maritime logistics and treatment plants to sensing, analytics, and policy—and explains why real-world testing beats lab demos every time. The CWA acts as matchmaker between innovators and end users, backing pilot projects with insurance and support. It makes a compelling case for Cleveland as a freshwater innovation capital.

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A new crew of superheroes, the Lake Erie League, is turning everyday systems into comic-book stories for kids and teachers to use in the classroom. Across eight origin tales, these northeast Ohio-inspired characters mirror very real aspects of the Sewer District's work, from massive tunneling machines whose creations tame storm overflows, to a miniaturized lab technician who can detect toxins no human eye could witness.

We start with Mackenzie, inspired by the tunnel boring machine behind Project Clean Lake, who illustrates how infrastructure projects matter underground and on the surface. Spectra brings lab science to life with tests that our students can replicate in class, while Rover and Dr. Tao tackle sewer and stream inspections and the microscopic world of water quality. Botanica's story is rooted stream protection, restoration, and sustainability, and Vis and Overwatch round out the Lake Erie League with CSI-style adventures as seen from the field -- and above it.

Teachers can request print copies of the new comic book for their classrooms and access the stories and activity sheets at neorsd.org/league.

Meet the Lake Erie League creators:

Joe Sieracki, writer

Miguel Hernandez, illustrator

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Clevelanders might not know about a massive concrete structure hidden within Lakeview Cemetery. Standing 89 feet tall, Lakeview Dam represents both a marvel of 1970s engineering and a relic of outdated water-management approaches. Stormwater Program Manager Kim Colich gives some background on this imposing structure and explains how modern modeling and technology allow for different flood-control solutions today.

Beyond its engineering significance, the dam has gained fame as a filming location for Captain America: Winter Soldier and attracts curious tour groups. But its future remains an open question as water-management professionals balance flood-control needs with ecological goals and financial sustainability.

Whether you're fascinated by Cleveland history, engineering challenges, or environmental restoration, this look at one of our city's most impressive yet least-known structures reveals how our relationship with water continues to evolve.

Revisit our interview with Elaine Marsh on the Gorge Dam removal. 

Learn more about the Doan Brook Restoration Project near Horseshoe Park at https://www.neorsd.org/doanbrook.

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Horticulturalist Joe Dwyer is part of the Sewer District's Stormwater Inspection & Maintenance (SWIM) team. 

"A large shade tree can take up to 4,000 gallons of stormwater throughout a year," Dwyer says, but problems with improper tree planting can reveal themselves often just as trees are reaching their prime environmental benefits. Joe highlights the importance of proper tree maintenance to support the District's stormwater-management work. 

We also discuss how trees communicate through underground fungal networks, bringing "winter interest" to our project sites, and the potential for beautifying roadsides with wildflowers.

Whether you're a casual observer of neighborhood greenery or an aspiring horticulturalist, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for the trees working silently around us.

We also want to share a handy resource from Cleveland Metroparks: a Tree Selector Tool that helps you select the best native species for your home or project, depending on your location, landscaping goals, amount of sun and shade, and other factors. The website also features a directory of local nurseries that carry native plants.  

Whether you’re a homeowner, landscape architect, land steward, or arborist, these Cleveland Metroparks resources can help you plan and obtain the right trees for your planting project.

For further reading:

Silverstein, Shel. The Giving Tree. Harper & Row, 1964.

Simard, Suzanne. Finding the Mother Tree. Knopf, 2021. 

Wikipedia. "Crown Shyness." Last modified October 13, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_shyness

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Bedford, Ohio native Eddie Olshansky operates Trashfish, a volunteer organization focused on exploring and cleaning up the Cuyahoga River. Eddie talks about his personal journey, the importance of community involvement in environmental stewardship, the challenges of plastic pollution, and his ongoing efforts to improve the health of our local waterways.

Follow Eddie on Instagram @trashfish_cle for updates!

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Ken Duplay is Chief Financial Officer of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, and in this episode he shares insights from his 21-year career on the strategic art of setting sewer and stormwater rates, our meticulous five-year planning cycle, and managing debt. It's a thought-provoking look at the financial strategies that keep our essential infrastructure running smoothly.

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What do horse riding and leading a utility have in common? Sewer District CEO Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells shares her top projects of 2024, the Cleveland bonds that fuel her enthusiasm, and insights that will resonate with leaders from all walks of life. 

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District manages both wastewater and stormwater systems and plays a crucial role in restoring local waterways. We delve into the challenges of urban water infrastructure, the importance of partnerships, and the delicate balance needed to address environmental and community concerns. Looking to 2025, we consider the crucial role of leadership at the US EPA and Department of Energy, greenhouse gas and "forever chemicals," and the power of mindful communication in building community.

Acronyms used in this episode:

CERCLA - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. The Act provides for liability, compensation, cleanup, and emergency response for hazardous substances released into the environment and the cleanup of inactive hazardous waste disposal sites.

PFAS - Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is a synthetic chemical that's part of PFAS chemicals.

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Cutting-edge modeling techniques are being developed in an exciting collaboration between the NEORSD and Massachusetts Institute of Technology that focuses on pluvial flooding, promising a more nuanced view of water flow across urban landscapes.

This "rain on mesh" approach divides an urban topography into small, data-rich segments, unveiling a new level of detail in analyzing surface runoff, infiltration, and evaporation. 

We explore the strategic use of various models, from the importance of selecting appropriate tools for specific tasks to the potential for these solutions to be adopted by other cities. 

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Mayor Annette Blackwell of Maple Heights and Keith McClintock, NEORSD Manager of Watershed Funding Programs discuss the transformative impacts of infrastructure funding in local communities. Securing grants and loans have paved the way for municipal growth and enhanced quality of life for Maple Heights residents, and the Sewer District's Member Community Infrastructure Program (MCIP) can help communities address aging sewer systems and stormwater management.

Learn more about the MCIP here

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Ever wondered how a podcast about sewers came to be? In this episode, roles are reversed, with our Public Information Specialist Jess Shutty interviewing pod hosts Donna Friedman and Mike Uva on the evolution of Clean Water Works from its early print format to the dynamic podcast it is today.

Clean Water Works has become a venue for showcasing the Sewer District and making water-related topics accessible to a wider audience. Balancing technical expertise with public communication is key, and our conversation with Communications Manager John Gonzalez reveals how creativity and empathy shape our social-media strategy. embracing humor and pop culture to make our content relatable.

These efforts have allowed us to capture our employees' diverse stories and foster a more informed and engaged community.