Clean Water Works – Details, episodes & analysis

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Kristin Hall is Executive Director of Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District. She explains the distinctions between natural and urban environments in managing stormwater and the significance of these practices in preventing urban flooding and safeguarding water quality. We also discuss the Sewer District's own Regional Stormwater Management Program, the impact of severe weather events, and the importance of our storage tunnels. Stormwater Awareness Week takes place October 1 - 7 and you can learn more at cuyahogaswcd.org

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What happens when a mechanical engineering grad steps into the world of wastewater treatment? Travis Pitts is Superintendent at the Sewer District's Westerly Wastewater Treatment Plant. From his humble beginnings as a plant operator to his leadership role at Westerly, Travis describes the transition from shift work to management duties, the job's impact on family life, and his team's responsibility for meeting EPA permits. 

Amid Travis's candid anecdotes, we explore the technical side of wastewater treatment, the complexities of solids handling, centrifuges, and maintaining a delicate biosphere of bacteria to "accelerate natural processes."

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What's the most dangerous job at the Sewer District? 

Sewer District safety experts Carla DeSantis and Robin Halperin discuss the dangers inherent to wastewater treatment, what led them to pursue safety as their vocation, and approaches to building "safety culture" in the workplace. Plus: the ins and outs of lock-out/tag-out!

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The costs of wastewater treatment and maintaining our vast sewer and stormwater systems fall almost entirely on our ratepayers. With many residents struggling to pay their bills,  utilities must address affordability and also clearly communicate the services and benefits those utilities provide. We talk with Chief Administrative Officer Constance T. Haqq about the NEORSD's efforts to enroll eligible customers in its cost-saving programs.

Learn more about NEORSD Utility Assistance Resource Fairs

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Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Drink Local Drink Tap is an international non-profit organization focused on solving water equity and quality issues. Executive Director and Founder Erin Huber joins us to discuss her group's impactful projects in Uganda and the importance of finding even small, meaningful tasks to help us engage with water issues.

Visit https://drinklocaldrinktap.org/ to learn more.

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What is an "area of concern," or AOC?

Hannah Boesinger of the Ohio Lake Erie Commission talks about projects to restore fish habitat and address the "worst of the worst" legacy-pollution issues in the Cuyahoga River and other Great Lakes waterways.

For more information about the Lake Erie Commission, visit https://lakeerie.ohio.gov/

Note: the Ashtabula AOC was delisted in 2021:
https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-aocs/ashtabula-river-aoc-delisted

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We asked Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne to join us for a discussion of his vision for a Freshwater Institute, some experiences from his days as City Planner, biking the Towpath Trail, and lessons learned from Lake Erie surfers and bird enthusiasts alike.

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We welcome Jenn Grieser and Sean McDermott from Cleveland Metroparks for an overview of our remarkable park system, restoration projects that we've partnered on, as well as ecology, conservation—and ziplines!

Learn more about the Metroparks at https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com/

Here's a great new video on the Watershed Stewardship Center in Parma, OH.

Want to get involved? Learn about the Watershed Volunteer Program here.

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Lili Fikter is the Education and Interpretation Coordinator at the Greater Cleveland Aquarium. She gives an overview of the Great Lakes and the Aquarium's work to make connections between their fish and animals and the local watersheds that support those species.

Learn more about the Aquarium at www.greaterclevelandaquarium.com

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We hope you locals have Saturday, September 23 on your calendars. It's our annual in-person "open house," the CLEAN WATER FEST in Cuyahoga Heights, Ohio. Community Relations Specialist Jessica Shutty stopped by to talk about what to expect at this year's Fest. Visit cleanwaterfest.com for a complete schedule and info.