BREAKING: Court rules against #StormwaterProgram, environment and customers will remain the focus of our next steps

Late Thursday, the Ohio Eighth District Court of Appeals ruled against the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District in finding that, among other things, the Sewer District does not have the authority under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6119 or its Charter to enact and implement the Regional Stormwater Management Program under Title V, or to collect its stormwater fee.

As a result of this ruling, the District is suspending Regional Stormwater Management Program activities and the collection of stormwater fees for the program while the District pursues an appeal of the Court’s ruling to the Ohio Supreme Court.

RELATED STORIES:
Sewer District asks Supreme Court to hear case on storm-water fee (The Plain Dealer, Nov. 12, 2013)

21 common customer questions about our #StormwaterProgram, fees, billing, and more

We understand as customers you are going to have questions in the coming days about the program, its work, and fees you have already invested. Let us assure you that we are evaluating next steps and will keep customers informed through all available means as details develop.

As many of our member communities can attest, the work being done is desperately needed in our region. We remain dedicated to protecting our region's health and environment. We believe in the environmental benefits of regional stormwater management and are committed to keeping our Great Lake great.

#neorsdTOUR: Share your best pics and your feedback from the tour for chances to win

If you are joining us this Saturday, make sure your phone is charged and you grab a comment card while you're there.

We're excited to announce two contests for this year's Open House Saturday, September 28 from 9 to 2 at the Westerly Wastewater Treatment Center:

Share your best photos on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and tag them with #neorsdTOUR for a chance to win one of three T-shirts and a #neorsdTOUR prize pack. Also, be sure to complete a comment card so we can improve these events in the future. We'll randomly choose one winner from those comments next week to receive a Kindle Fire.

PIC: A machine designed to dig tunnels is gonna get dirty. Here's how dirty.

When our tunnel boring machine Mackenzie finished digging the Euclid Creek Tunnel late last month, she did so on-line, ahead of schedule, and under budget.

It's likely some of the money she saved will go towards a new paint job.

GOOD: Employees run 5K around our largest treatment plant for charity, wellness

When you operate one of the largest wastewater treatment plants of its kind in the country, you can make a lot of good things happen. And that's not even considering the hundreds of millions of gallons of water treated on a daily basis.

Our employees' latest idea: Why not map a 5-kilometer route around the inside of the plant and welcome employees and their families to run for a good cause?

That's what employees did September 14 as the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District held its first-ever Cuyahoga River Clean Water Classic 5K Run/Walk at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Center in Cuyahoga Heights.

LIST: Friday's 13 fears of water, storms, lakes, and fish

Our clean-water work should inspire confidence in the community, but we found there are also many phobias associated with many aspects of our daily duties. Here are 13 we found.

OPEN HOUSE: 7 memes show why your kids would love to tour a wastewater plant (#neorsdTOUR)

Spend a Saturday visiting a wastewater treatment plant? Any number of memes might capture your initial reaction to that opportunity, but here's why considering that September 27 is not as crazy as you think.

1. WOW factor.

Many kids and adults don't think about what happens to the water that flows down the drain. That water gets cleaned and released to the lake, the same source of our drinking water. At our tour, you'll be able to see the processes at work to clean your wastewater safely.

2. Fishing v2.0

We collect and study fish in local streams to be monitor water quality. But our electrofishing boats don't use rods and reels. They use electricity to stun the fish so we can net and study them before releasing them safely. We'll show you how it works.

EVENT: One journey ends, another begins as Mackenzie will make her way back to the surface

 

Mac's on her way back to the surface starting Monday.

More than one year ago, the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s tunnel boring machine, named “Mackenzie,” began excavating the Euclid Creek Tunnel. Mackenzie has successfully mined and lined 18,000 feet of 24-foot diameter tunnel 200 feet below ground, and her work is complete ahead of schedule and under budget.

On Monday, September 9, Mackenzie’s 150-ton, 27-foot diameter cutter head will be lifted out of the exit shaft near the intersection of Nottingham Road and St. Clair Avenue. Later that day, the cutter head will return to the main construction site in Bratenahl.

UPDATE: Watch the video of Mac's cutter head returning to the surface in the clip above.

You can #TrackMac's progress Monday by following our @neorsd and @WallyWaterdrop Twitter accounts for live #TrackMac tweets from the site.