Gotham JA Miele, Sr, PE

Water conservation cleans Long Island Sound, RL Swanson, DJ Tonjes

Marine vessels serving New York City, W Goyzueta, J Chen, K Byrnes, R Ferro

Line stops avoid bypass in pumping station, F Gallo

Pilot biological nutrient removal, B Bodniewicz, K Mahoney

Enhanced beach protection — 2000, FJ Oliveri, F Loncar, M Ellis

Telemetering in New York, S Rozelman, S Aziz

Job order contracting, MP Quinn, P Schrayer

Operational benefits of celebrating Water Week, RE Adamski, H Einsohn, M Keating, A Lamarche, B Olivieri

CSO signage: expanded notification, S Rozelman, P Lutz, F Loncar

Brooklyn student wins water prize

Executive director's message, P Cerro-Reehil

People and places

Summer 2001 — Vol. 31, No. 2

NYWEA's Operator's Challenge

by Robert E. Adamski, PE, Hilary Einsohn, Mary Keating, Alejandra Lamarche, Bridget Olivieri

Water Week is the annual vehicle that the NYCDEP Bureau of Wastewater Treatment (BWT) uses to provide the community with information and education about water issues. The BWT celebrates Water Week with facility tours, open houses, and other events. One such event is the Operator's Challenge sponsored by the Metropolitan Chapter of the New York Water Environment Association. The Operator's Challenge provides workers an opportunity to show off their skills to coworkers, family, and friends. Recognition of their talents and what they do improves their morale.

Spotlight on BWT

NYSDEC's theme for Water Week for the past several years has been watersheds. One year it was “Building Watershed Partnerships”: what makes successful partnerships? In concert with this theme, examples of watershed alliances were presented, and New Yorkers were encouraged to work together to protect and improve ecosystems within their watersheds.

NYSDEC produces a poster for Water Week each year, and the poster is sent to groups that conduct water stewardship activities. In this way, NYSDEC sets the tone for the Water Week activities. In 1997, the NYCDEP began celebrating Water Week by departing from the tradition of emphasizing drinking water. NYCDEP took a novel approach and highlighted wastewater.

NYCDEP has a twofold mission: protecting the water supply to provide safe drinking water to New York City and treating the wastewater by operating the City's fourteen water pollution control plants. By adding wastewater to Water Week, DEP's entire mission in water—delivery of drinking water, and collection and treatment of wastewater—was featured.

Students from neighboring schools attend an open house at one of the NYCDEP water pollution control plants.

NYCDEP also holds a citywide Water Conservation Art and Poetry Contest where children have the opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings about the environment. A ceremony to honor the winners takes place during Water Week.

For several years, NYCDEP's objective has been to recognize and showcase the City's over $10 billion infrastructure investment in fourteen state-of-the-art water pollution control plants and the City's history of over 100 years of wastewater treatment.

Nearly one thousand people attend the festivities at the fourteen treatment plants and four collection facilities each year. Visitors are given tours, education materials, and refreshments. Many of them leave with a better understanding of the wastewater treatment process and the importance of the Department's work to improve the quality of the City's waterways.

Plant staff enjoy a day showing off their plant to their neighbors and families.

How Water Week develops at NYCDEP

Successful Water Week activities depend, first, on support from the top. The Department's leadership must believe in the plan for Water Week. Then, a dedicated working group, the Water Week Task Force, strives to implement the plan. The Task Force works with an abundance of enthusiasm and motivation, and the members really put themselves into the project.

Water Week Proclamations have been presented by elected officials who come and make speeches. They recognize the contributions of the plants to water quality.

A long time citizen activist, Sister Francis Kress, is acknowledged by former Director Bob Adamski.

Public education is NYCDEP dividend

Water Week is usually seen as a public education program to improve community relations, but New York City's observation of Water Week—while enjoying the public education and information benefits and activities—also reaps operational and maintenance benefits.

NYCDEP Plant Coordinators and Publicity Coordinators help to accomplish the program. NYCDEP consultants sponsor the open houses and lend their support. Plant personnel make every effort to make their work home inviting to company.

Through these programs, too, we in NYCDEP become aware of the importance of the City's water quality efforts to the families of our employees. Jobs that were a mystery to employees' family members are seen in a new light. The family members learn what is accomplished on the job and they are then able to share this aspect of the employees' lives.

In addition, plant areas are cleaned up and painted to be made ready for the visitors. The open houses also foster stewardship. Visitors see the role that they can play in water quality, and some sign up for volunteer activities throughout the City such as beach clean-ups. Overall, NYCDEP's community relations are improved.

Concerned citizens, families and friends come out to visit and join in the celebration making Water Week a great success. The theme of celebrating Water Week is to keep our environment a cleaner, safer, and more enjoyable place to live in.
____________
Robert E. Adamski, PE is a former Deputy Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and former Director of the Bureau of Wastewater Treatment. Adamski is now with Gannett Fleming. The co-authors are with New York City Department of Environmental Protection.