Clean Water Works

Have you ever wondered how your green thumb can help the environment?  Stormwater Technical Specialist Chris Hartman explains how to install and maintain a thriving rain garden to help control stormwater runoff: from choosing a site and garden size, to selecting the right plants and methods. Plus, you can earn a credit towards your stormwater fee!Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners [PDF]Before you dig:Ohio Utilities Protection Service (OUPS) 

Who knew that dog poop could contribute to water pollution? That's the topic of our conversation with NEORSD Asset Analyst Christina Toth and Biologist Morgan Koelliker. Christina's dog, Esri, serves as the mascot of the Sewer District's Pick Up Poop! (P.U.P.) program, and Morgan explains how the bacteria in dog waste is especially hazardous for humans and other dogs. Join us as we discuss the significance of responsible pet ownership and its profound impact on water quality in densely populated areas like Cleveland.

Have you ever stopped to consider how deeply engineering is woven into every aspect of your daily life? On the heels of National Engineers Week, we're tapping into the essence of innovation and the critical role engineers play.Government Affairs Specialist Angela Jones and Manager of Design Rick Vincent share their favorite engineering projects and the fulfillment that comes from contributing to the well-being of our communities and engaging with the public. We also discuss programs geared towards inspiring a new generation of engineering enthusiasts.

Oversalt much? A conversation with Amy Roskilly of Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District and Natalie Gertz-Young of Lake Soil & Water Conservation District on road salt use and overuse, and the impacts to our water resources.The NEORSD supports our local Soil and Water Conservation Districts that participate in educational outreach related to water quality, stormwater management, and watershed management. These agencies offer stormwater-compliance services to communities and lead conservation actions. Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation DistrictLake Soil & Water Conservation  District 

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!

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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. 

CarrieAnne McConnell is Superintendent at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District's Westerly Wastewater Treatment Plant. She has spent much of her life in and around water- and wastewater-treatment facilities . . . and even had her wedding photos taken at one! Westerly is undergoing several construction projects to help it treat more wastewater flow during big rain events. CarrieAnne talks about those upgrades, the different types of wastewater-treatment processes that plants can utilize, the very worst of the bad smells, and the need to find and welcome a new generation of workers into this critical industry.This episode includes a discussion of trickling filters and activated sludge, two different processes used to treat wastewater. Listeners unfamiliar with the basics of wastewater treatment may also want to check out our earlier episodes "How does a Wastewater Treatment Plant Work?" and "The Science of Sludge".Acronyms used in this episode:CSOTF: combined sewer overflow treatment facilityMGD: million gallons per dayCE-HRT: chemically-enhanced high rate treatmentBOD: biological oxygen demand, or the amount of dissolved oxygen needed by aerobic organisms to break down organic material in wastewaterTSS: total suspended solids, a measurement of the weight of suspended particles (i.e. not dissolved) in a water sample, when they are trapped by a filter

Cleveland native Justin Telep loves to fish. It makes sense then that he loves his job as a Field Biologist at the Sewer District. Justin and his team study the health of aquatic organisms in area streams to determine water quality. He talks about a NEORSD project to re-introduce native fish into a once-polluted Plum Creek. We also discuss fishing opportunities on Lake Erie ("the walleye capital of the world") and Justin shares an easy recipe for crispy fish tacos.Some acronyms used in this episode:IBI: Index of Biotic Integrity, an indicator of the health of a fish communityMIwb: Modified Index of Well-Being, another method of determining the health of the fish communityICI: Invertebrate Community Index, which measures the health of bugs in the stream

Two of our favorite IT guys, Adam Bruncak and Francis Cung, stop by for a chat about how Information Technology impacts all aspects of the Sewer District's work. We also discuss ChatGPT, professional billiards, and the importance of "Ctrl+Alt+Delete."Acronyms and references used in this episode:WQIS: Water Quality and Industrial SurveillanceNES: Nintendo Entertainment System

Samira Malone is Director of the Cleveland Tree Coalition. We discuss the multiple benefits trees provide in urban settings, the CTC's efforts to restore Cleveland's diminished tree canopy, and "the right tree for the right place." The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District serves on the Coalition's Executive Committee. Visit www.clevelandtrees.org for more info!

Kristen Buccier is the Manager of our Stormwater Inspection & Maintenance team, brilliantly acronymed SWIM. We talked to Kristen about the thousands of stormwater assets the NEORSD inspects and maintains. Her team walks area streams to document flooding, erosion, and water-quality issues, so that critical repairs and projects can be planned. We learn about spherical imagery (think "stream inspector's version of Google Earth"), Green Infrastructure practices, and beaver-dam dilemmas.

SANDUSKY, OH: Mike and Donna attend the 16th annual Ohio Stormwater Conference and speak with stormwater enthusiasts on a variety of topics including: groundwater rights, the different types of wetlands, invasive species, and the impacts of road salt on local waterways.This episode's guests:Erica Matheny, Deputy Executive Director, Tinker's Creek Watershed PartnersHarry Stark, Executive Director, Tinker's Creek Watershed Partners Melissa Morrow, City of ParmaJulio Olivarez, The Nature ConservancyKatie Burnsworth, Erie Conservation DistrictPatti Donnellan, Lorain Soil & Water Conservation DistrictJared Bartley, Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation DistrictNichole Lopez, Summit Soil & Water Conservation District Stephanie Deibel, Summit Soil & Water Conservation District 

Frank Greenland is a professional engineer and a key architect of two of the Sewer District's most ambitious and important programs: Project Clean Lake (which reduces sewer overflows into the environment) and the Regional Stormwater Management Program (addressing erosion, flooding, and water-quality issues along local streams). We learn how an early love of fishing led Frank to pursue a career in cleaning up Cleveland's waterways, and he shares his thoughts on the 1969 river fire, more-recent basement-flooding problems, public speaking, and tasty jams.

Donna and Mike met up with Sewer District CEO Kyle Dreyfuss-Wells for a conversation that touched on a wide range of topics, from her early interest in public service, to watersheds and climate change, to dyslexia, hip hop, and running in the dark.