As a lake property owner, I’m a member of local, countywide and statewide lake protection organizations. Lately it has struck me that in working with these groups and attending their meetings, I’ve yet to encounter a clean-water operator.
I know that many utilities and individual operators do advocate in various ways for water-quality and environmental initiatives. One good example is the Franklin (New Hampshire) Wastewater Treatment Facility. Ken Noyes, chief operator (profiled in this issue of TPO), and members of his team support water-quality monitoring efforts on the Merrimack River, taking and analyzing water samples and placing rock baskets for macroinvertebrate studies.
In editing this magazine I have met other operators who volunteer for everything from watershed protection groups to fishery improvement projects to community pharmaceutical and hazardous waste collection programs. But why does such activity strike me as more the exception than the rule?
Why this matters
My perception could be off base — I am not involved in daily life at clean-water plants and don’t see everything operators do. But to the extent this perception is accurate, what’s to be done to bring about change?
I feel confident in saying the general public harbors deep misconceptions about treatment plants. At the most basic level, many people think of them as sources of pollution, rather than preventers of it. It’s also safe to say that those who see treatment plants for what they really are still (as a rule) grossly underestimate their importance.
Getting straight to the heart of the matter, treatment plants and collections systems need large investments in expansion, maintenance and modernization. And the willingness of people to support those investments (through higher user fees) is directly proportional to how important they think the facilities are.
Changing perceptions
The best way to change public perceptions of treatment plants is to connect them directly and visibly to environmental quality improvement. And here, operators’ ties to environmental organizations can have great value.
I’ll admit, some environmental groups can be polarizing. Some can be radical. Maybe you don’t want to connect with those that fit such a description — large segments of the public may not even be on their side.
But what about groups doing specific work for the benefit of the local environment? Who are they? What are their aims? Can your agency or facility support their missions? Naturally, there are only so many people on your team and only so many hours in a day. But what if you were to take a methodical approach to forging connections with the appropriate groups?
Taking inventory
The groups worth supporting aren’t limited to those working directly to protect your receiving water, or water resources generally. All that matters is that they connect somehow with quality of environment and quality of life outdoors.
So, consider starting with an inventory. Watch your local newspaper and community bulletin boards. See what groups are out there. Watershed organizations for sure. Lake associations. Groups that promote youth hunting or fishing. Friends groups supporting state, county or city parks. Local land trusts. Bird-watching groups. Cast a wide net. Make a list of all the groups that conceivably would merit your involvement.
Then, get your team together and choose the groups where your support would seem the most mutually beneficial. Select a realistic number of groups — it doesn’t pay to spread yourself too thin. Ask for a volunteer to serve as a liaison to each group. Then contact each group and offer to be of service; pay the membership fee if there is one.
The payoff
There’s no telling where the involvement with each group might lead. It could evolve into service on the board of directors. Or to a high-profile role in a highly visible community project. To names and pictures in the paper and online. To video on TV news. And more.
The benefit is clear: people in your community making solid connections between your team members, your facility and good things for the waters and the environment.
Has this approach worked for your facility? You are welcome to share stories of how you benefit from community involvement on the environmental front. Send me a note at editor@tpomag.com. I promise to respond, and we’ll share compelling stories in a future issue.
