Captain Sewer, the mightiest rodent at the Little Rock Waste-water treatment plant, is a legacy. Born out of a 1980s Halloween superhero costume, this mascot of all things flushable is alive and well and educating kids at schools and community events in the capital of Arkansas.
“It started as a joke,” says Joseph Schaffner, community relations coordinator for the LRW in Arkansas. “Rick Barger [then operations manager] came to a meeting in tights and a cape, with a plunger as a weapon and a toilet seat lid for protection. After that, he was invited to a school presentation.”
When Barger retired in early 2000, the torch, or plunger, passed to Mike Kline. But he was in the environmental health and safety group, and it seemed more appropriate to assign the mission to someone in communications. Schaffner was just the man.
About then, the utility decided to reassess Captain Sewer, transitioning him from a superhero to a super rodent. “We thought a super hero was a little mature for kids in K-5,” says Schaffner. “We thought an animal would be more appropriate.”
A rat, as in sewer rat, was the obvious choice, and the costume, with full pirate regalia, was conceived. It’s a cumbersome outfit, but Schaffner wears it with pride. “At first I was reluctant,” he says. “It’s a lot of work to get the suit, clean the suit, and load up the van. But then I look down and all these doe-eyed kids are looking up at me. It’s rewarding. They’re excited about the character and they’re excited about learning.”
Putting on a show
Captain Sewer has an accomplice, first mate Brenda Willis. Because the Captain’s voice is muffled under the costume, Willis does all the talking, sometimes leaving Captain Sewer with time on his hands. It’s not unlike Captain Sewer, armed with his plunger, to sneak up on his first mate in a friendly attack. But, rather than detract from the presentation, the physical banter keeps things light and entertaining.
The two deliver their message in classrooms and school auditoriums and at other events. “One school had a Water Fest,” says Schaffner. “We had a booth outside with a set presentation. We did about five or six in a row.”
At events like the Little Rock Zoo’s Earth Day observance, the two can modify their presentation, but typically they’re in the classroom. While some younger children shy away from the costume, others embrace it — literally.
“Kids that aren’t bothered are all over me — it’s magical,” says Schaffner. “You have that age, they don’t see me as Mr. Schaffner, but as Captain Sewer, and it changes their perspective.” And while Schaffner doesn’t pop in and out of phone booths like Super Man, he works to keep his identity a secret.
“I sneak in and out because it keeps the magic alive,” he says. “I bring my suit and change in the teacher’s lounge. When I’m in costume, I’m in character.” Schaffner has no experience in theater or acting. He just works from his gut: “I go by seeing what the kids enjoy.”
Take-aways
When the mascot was revamped, so was the rest of the education program. The utility updated the handout materials and parting gifts and developed a new activity book starring Captain Sewer.
The activity book was a joint effort between LRW personnel and its consulting firm, CJRW, based in Little Rock. Artist Lyuba Bogan and the firm’s design team created the new Captain Sewer look. “Basically, we provided CJRW with the information, and they made it into a fun children’s activity book,” Schaffner says.
The book includes coloring pages and puzzles, provides water facts, and walks readers through the water cycle. A spread illustrates the collection of water from buildings through the sewer system and then follows the water to the treatment plant and out to the river. It even shows biosolids, initially full of Pac-Man looking microbes, being settled out, stored and trucked off for recycling.
Students who promise to protect the environment, especially water and wastewater, earn Honorary First Mate certificates. Other giveaway items promote Little Rock’s Can the Grease campaign. “Grease is a huge problem for the facility, so we provide cans and heat-resistant liners that can be used to collect grease,” says Schaffner.
Between the lovable Captain Sewer character, the activity book, and Can the Grease giveaways, Little Rock educates students on the best ways to protect the environment and the wastewater treatment plant itself.
