A ribbon-cutting is a great way to mark a big occasion – and the opening of a new $25 million water recycling plant certainly qualifies. The city of Boerne cut the ribbon its new clean-water facility earlier this month – it represents the biggest capital project in city history.

A celebration of this kind raises the profile of the clean-water profession and supports the key aims of The Fire Chief Project:

• Raise clean-water operators to the status of the fire chief.
• Make kids grow up wanting to be clean-water operators.

Reclaimed water from the plant will irrigate city parks, cemeteries, and home landscapes.  The plant is designed to accommodate a population up to 40,000, more than triple Boerne’s population today.

Now, after the ribbon-cutting, what will the city and the plant staff do to keep residents informed about the facility’s performance? Let’s hope regular updates are planned – announcements of new reclaimed water connections, of milestones in permit compliance, of staff members’ promotions and other accomplishments. That will really advance the causes of The Fire Chief Project.