Clean Water Works

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What actually leads a policy idea into becoming a clean-water milestone? We take you behind the scenes with Danielle Giannantonio, Senior Manager of State and Federal Legislative Affairs & Grants at the NEORSD, to map the practical path from bills to budgets to better infrastructure. Danielle shares how a Statehouse page job led to legislative aide work, a crash course in clean-water issues at Ohio EPA, and ultimately a role where relationships, timing, and clarity determine whether good ideas stick.

Our conversation dives into PFAS, those "forever chemicals" that water utilities passively receive. We also dig into affordability and make the case for a permanent LIHWAP program to stabilize households and utility operations alike. Danielle's work also tracks policy that touches our utility’s daily mission: employment issues, IT, drones, AI, and more. She walks us through the playbook for proactive advocacy and how trade associations can amplify local voices in D.C.
Acronyms used in this episode:
LIHWAP - Low Income Household Water Assistance Program, provides funds to assist low-income households with water and wastewater bills.
LIHEAP - Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, provides federally funded assistance to reduce the costs associated with home energy bills, energy crises, weatherization, and minor energy-related home repairs. 
PFAS - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
WQIS - Water Quality & Industrial Surveillance

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Hey, it's hard to pass up a good pun. Even if we didn't talk much about sewer smells in this episode, we were excited to learn how our legal team moves billion‑dollar water projects forward with strategy, ethics, and empathy. Chief Legal Officer Eric Luckage explains how well‑designed contracts, early risk spotting, and clear and honest conversations with residents help the Sewer District deliver clean water and protect our ratepayers.

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Freezing temperatures can test our municipal water systems as well as the pipes inside our homes. Water Commissioner Alex Margevicius explains how the Cleveland Division of Water keeps 1.4 million people supplied with safe drinking water when temperatures plunge and aging water mains face their toughest days of the year. 
From Cleveland's offshore water intakes to your homes and businesses, we trace the journey clean water makes and share some simple measures you can take to prevent frozen water lines and damage.
Here at the Sewer District, we often talk about the urban water cycle as it pertains to wastewater treatment: from residential use to our treatment plants and back to Lake Erie. Our conversation with Alex continues the water's route back in from the Lake and to our homes.
Visit Cleveland Water to learn more about tours, cost-saving programs, and household tips.

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A lake that learns can change a region. Sam Martin, Director of Communications and Engagement at Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA), shares how Lake Erie has become the world’s largest digitally-connected freshwater test bed—and why that matters for public health, utility costs, and the next wave of water-tech jobs. 
Sam walks us through the water economy—everything from maritime logistics and treatment plants to sensing, analytics, and policy—and explains why real-world testing beats lab demos every time. The CWA acts as matchmaker between innovators and end users, backing pilot projects with insurance and support. It makes a compelling case for Cleveland as a freshwater innovation capital.

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A new crew of superheroes, the Lake Erie League, is turning everyday systems into comic-book stories for kids and teachers to use in the classroom. Across eight origin tales, these northeast Ohio-inspired characters mirror very real aspects of the Sewer District's work, from massive tunneling machines whose creations tame storm overflows, to a miniaturized lab technician who can detect toxins no human eye could witness.

We start with Mackenzie, inspired by the tunnel boring machine behind Project Clean Lake, who illustrates how infrastructure projects matter underground and on the surface. Spectra brings lab science to life with tests that our students can replicate in class, while Rover and Dr. Tao tackle sewer and stream inspections and the microscopic world of water quality. Botanica's story is rooted stream protection, restoration, and sustainability, and Vis and Overwatch round out the Lake Erie League with CSI-style adventures as seen from the field -- and above it.

Teachers can request print copies of the new comic book for their classrooms and access the stories and activity sheets at neorsd.org/league.
Meet the Lake Erie League creators:
Joe Sieracki, writer
Miguel Hernandez, illustrator