EVENT: You really gotta go. To our Open House and #neorsdTOUR this Saturday.

Wally Waterdrop and friends are ready to show what it takes to keep our Great Lake great.

It’s the question that has confounded children for generations: “Where does it go when I flush the potty?”

The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District proudly answers one of life’s most important questions this Saturday, September 17, at the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cuyahoga Heights.

This annual event offers opportunities for guests of all ages to tour the largest wastewater treatment in the State of Ohio, visit an award-winning laboratory, walk through a virtual sewer, learn about stormwater management, conduct experiments with “Zach the Mad Scientist” and experience first-hand the heavy machinery and vehicles required to maintain 350 miles of interceptor sewers.

WATCH: Watershed Stewardship Center, partners take hands-on approach to education

"Part of the story is that we [didn't] have to leave it as an old landfill."

Cleveland Metroparks Education Specialist Mark Warman recently told Fox8 News' New Day Cleveland the story of the West Creek Reservation. It's a story of the environment, civic engagement, and the future of water quality in the region.

"For 25 years, the City of Parma used this as a municipal landfill." Mark explained that the reservation's history has shaped what grows on and lives in the area. But a commitment by residents and engaged agencies helped restore the natural features of the landscape.

The Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek now brings guests to the reservation. The center was a collaborative commitment of Cleveland Metroparks, the City of Parma, West Creek Conservancy, and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District to bring a home for watershed and water-quality education to the region.

Programs at the center and its design features shed light on the importance of managing stormwater, reducing pollution, supporting wildlife, and personal responsibility, all of which have a direct effect on our region's quality of life.

"The Stewardship Center was opened in June of 2013," said @neorsd Environmental Education Specialist Linda Mayer. "It features a lot of exhibits about how you can be good stewards, how you can protect your watersheds and what you can do at home to make the environment better. It's a great opportunity to do something a little different and become better environmental citizens."

#LoveCleanWater: Our printable valentines are the very least you can do.

Flowers fade away, candy loses flavor, and stuffed animals quickly become closet clutter. When you care enough to give someone the very best, share your love of clean, safe, reliable water.

Our latest downloadable edition of wastewater valentines aren't just for water professionals. They are perfect for kids, friends, family members, and anyone who appreciates the true value of clean water.

Formatted on a simple printable sheet, you can print copies for kids activities or around your home or office. If you show your love, share with us and let others know you #LoveCleanWater, too.

#SewerU: Think you know sewers? Get schooled on January 26 at Sewer University

If you are making education part of your 2016 resolutions, this is one event you won't want to miss.

Sewer University presents you with a simple history and future of clean water in the Cleveland area, and the next session is scheduled for January 26 in Cuyahoga Heights. You can register to attend.

Nearly 100 guests joined us in November for our first ever SewerU, and you can watch the full video online. On January 26, Director of Watershed Programs Frank Greenland will cover topics like regional history, sewer types and functions, stormwater problems, green infrastructure and more. Guests will also have an opportunity to tour our award-winning and certified laboratory after the presentation.

Space is limited. Register today.

LeBRON: In response to Steph Curry's toilet, our open letter to LeBron James

Dear LeBron James:

You will always be number 1 to Cleveland. Which is why your number 2 is so important to us.

Your contributions to the game of basketball, Cleveland, Ohio and the entire sports world are well documented and your acclaim is well deserved.

We are sure you are aware of Golden State Warrior Steph Curry recently acknowledged his game performance has improved since getting a new toilet, and from a sanitary and health perspective, we can understand how such a a change can affect one's performance.

But we believe true and lasting greatness goes much further than a toilet. This is not about Steph Curry's toilet. It's about Cleveland basketball's run for the throne.

You are a man who understands the value of community, of family, of pride, and we hold those same values dear as a public utility. Which is why we take any steps necessary — all. steps. necessary. — to ensure you have the best throne experience and the cleanest water any king could have. We pride ourselves on it.

We already offer award-winning and nationally renown wastewater treatment service and customer education, and we understand properly treating the flow of water coming from Cleveland only furthers your drive towards a championship. We stand (well, sitting may be more appropriate in this case) behind you.

LeBron, I assure you the service we offer Northeast Ohio meets the highest water-quality and sanitation standards in order to ensure optimum game-time performance well into June. Which is why you have no need to concern yourself with your toilet. We'll take care of that, while you keep your sights set on the real throne.

Go Cavs, and go LeBron.

Julius Ciaccia
Chief Executive Officer
Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District

LIST: 9 ways the movie Elf pretty much sums up any water lesson we could ever teach

The life lessons offered in Will Ferrell's Elf are profound and unparalleled. In this holiday season, we invite you to reflect on nine specific clean-water insights only Buddy can convey.
 

A short shower is just as effective as a long one.
 

Everyone needs some alone time. Let your throne be a place of emotional comfort.
 

Singing a song while you're in the shower can help you conserve water by timing your routine. Singing while someone else is in the shower is creepy.

LIST: 5 things you'll learn following our #SewerU November 10

We're hosting our first-ever Sewer University (SewerU) presentation to a capacity crowd of nearly 120 guests on November 10, and if you haven't registered, you'll be able to follow the discussion on Twitter @neorsd #SewerU.

The goal is to bring the underground and often misunderstood sewer network and its function to the surface to better explain how our lives are affected by this critical infrastructure. Here are 5 topics we'll cover that may interest you.

EVENT: Sewer University #SewerU now enrolling, your 101 course for Northeast Ohio's sewer history and water future

VIEW THE SLIDEDECK. If you missed it, you can register for our next SewerU January 26.

All participants graduate sewer cum laude with a Business major and a minor in puns.

Have you ever wondered where "it" goes in Northeast Ohio? If so, register for our first ever Sewer University (#SewerU) Tuesday, November 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m at our Environmental & Maintenance Services Center, 4747 E. 49th Street in Cuyahoga Heights [map].

DOWNLOADS: View the slidedeck / Download PDF 

RELATED NEWS: LISTEN: WMMS host Alan Cox loves the idea. Not sure about his #SewerU football team suggestions, though.

This half-day journey into the history of sewers and the future of clean water in Greater Cleveland will take place at the Sewer District’s Environmental & Maintenance Services Center located at 4747 East 49th Street in Cuyahoga Heights [map].

Frank Greenland, Director of Watershed Programs and a 27-year Sewer District veteran, will lead the two-hour discussion and Q&A session, which will include:

• History of sewers across northeast Ohio
• Why the river burned many times before 1969
• How dirty water gets cleaned
• Stormwater, flooding and monitoring water quality
• The designs and dangers of sewer systems
• Infrastructure: Why gray and green matter
• The costs of clean water and a Great Lake

EVENT: 288-acre treatment plant transformed into 5K course for wellness, charity #cwc5K

Top male finisher Anthony Raimondo and female finisher
Bella Renaticello

Dozens of runners turned a wastewater treatment plant into a 5K course June 6 and the sights, sounds, and smells of the summer day made memories for all who attended.

The third annual Clean Water Classic 5K, a wellness event and Charity Choice campaign fundraiser, wove its way through the Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cuyahoga Heights.

The top male finisher was Anthony Raimondo and the top female finisher was Bella Renaticello who each took home toilet-shaped trophies, because of course they did. See the complete list of runners' times.

More photos after the jump.

COMMUNITY: Leadership and love of learning inspire little free library

Every little bit of reading helps, and every little free library helps a lot.

Today, members of Cleveland State University’s Leadership Academy XXIV dedicated a Little Free Library at 1299 Superior Avenue in Cleveland.

“Exposure to reading at a young age heightens the desire to learn and the mind’s amazing ability to absorb information,” said Ava Decembly (CMHA), Distinguished Fellow, Leadership Academy XXIV. “This establishes a firm foundation to build upon, thereby increasing one’s odds of future success.”

Leadership Academy includes a diverse team of public sector employees from many local organizations including Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority, Cuyahoga County, Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority, Village of South Russell, City of Shaker Heights, Cuyahoga County, City of Avon Lake, Cleveland Public Library, City of Brooklyn, Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency and Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services.

Five @neorsd employees participated in this year's Leadership Academy class.

COMMUNITY: Partnering for a bigger impact in education, awareness, action

Interns spend a morning at Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek.

The District maintains partnerships with local organizations whose work to enhance quality of life in Northeast Ohio aligns with our own mission to protect water quality. By leveraging our partner resources, we broaden the public’s understanding of, and support for, our work. Here's a closer look at some of the work we're doing together.

Cleveland Metroparks

twitter.com/NEORSDbeaches

In 2013, the Sewer District partnered with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and WKYC TV-3 to educate viewers about water quality at area beaches, and swimming safety updates were posted via Twitter. In addition, a new partnership with Cleveland Metroparks that included the District purchasing beach-cleaning machines resulted in better overall quality for Euclid Beach and Edgewater Park.

Also in 2013, the District and Metroparks celebrated the dedication of the Watershed Stewardship Center at West Creek in Parma. The District supported the center with $3 million towards construction and permanent on-site staff. The Center received a 2013 “Award of Excellence” from the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association, and is an opportunity to expand the District’s watershed- and environmental-education efforts.

#SewerBowl: Who did our K9 Storm pick to win this year's Super Bowl?

Our K9 Storm makes his Super Bowl XLIX prediction: Pats or Seahawks? It's our latest #SewerBowl promotion. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook all weekend long leading up to and during the big game for the latest water and sewer stats about the Super Bowl.

RELATED STORIES:

• EVENTS: Celebrate clean water all year long with events, education, contests and more #CleanWater2015
• HISTORY: Thank you, Seth, for inventing perforated toilet paper
• INFOGRAPHIC: Go Cleveland! Football, flushes, and the facts they have in common
• FLUSH OR FICTION? Our top 5 toilet bowl myths

NEWS: Green commitment in Cleveland's Public Square renovation improves drainage, manages stormwater

UPDATE 2015 03/09: It all begins today. Roads closed officially at 6:00 a.m. this morning. This story took a closer look at some of the green-infrastructure components of the work that will take shape under and on the surface of the Cleveland Public Square renovation scheduled for completion in 2016.

On October 2, Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District Trustees approved a $3 million installment grant for the Public Square Renovation Project, a contribution that will increase the square's greenspace and sustainability.

"Public Square is the heart of Downtown Cleveland," said Julius Ciaccia, Executive Director of the Sewer District. "We’re excited to be able to connect our clean water work to the makeover of this historic, popular and heavily traveled area."

TECH: Plant ops, sludge science among topics featured in 2014 tech journal "Clean Water Works"

Plant operations and the wastewater treatment process are the focus of our latest issue of Clean Water Works, an award-winning technical magazine covering subjects relevant to the water industry. View it below or open the publication in a new window.

RELATED: Don't miss our online-only Web Extras:

• The facts about phosphorus, and why Lake Erie receives more nutrients than any other Great Lake
• Training, development opportunities give employees a chance to grow and improve

CAREERS: Training, development opportunities give employees a chance to grow and improve

One of the advantages to working at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District is the opportunity to advance one’s career. The District offers two training programs for careers in Maintenance and Wastewater Plant Operation—through which District employees develop their proficiencies and reach their disciplines.

Maintenance Training has four different tracks for those pursuing a vocation as an Instrumentation Technician, Plant Maintenance Electrician, Systems Utility Maintenance Person, or Plant Utilities Maintenance Person at the Sewer District.

RELATED: This story is a Web Extra featured in our Clean Water Works technical journal (Fall 2014)

Interested employees enroll in a hands-on Talent Assessment Program (based on Automotive Manufacturing Technical Education Collaborative, or AMTEC standards) to determine their technical knowledge. Those who achieve a composite score of 75 or better qualify for the Maintenance Training program.

Successful applicants embark on a training regimen that includes 800 classroom hours (an equivalent of between 38 and 52 semester hours) of coursework provided by Cuyahoga Community College onsite at a District facility, plus 8,000 hours of on-the-job instruction over the course of four years, followed by  ongoing professional training that continuously enhance one’s skill set.

SHARE: Don't let the unseen go unspoken. Water infrastructure needs attention and you can speak up 9/9 #WaterWorks

Without clean, safe, and reliable water and wastewater systems, one-fifth of our US economy would grind to a halt. That's because #WaterWorks.

Water sustains life. It creates jobs and drives our economy. Clean water is what our work is all about.

September's going to be big when it comes to water issues. On September 10, 2014, water leaders will be in Washington, educating the White House and Congressional leaders about how investment in our nation’s water and wastewater infrastructure puts people to work and builds a stronger America.

We'll share stats, stories, videos and more throughout the month, and you can lend your voice to the clean-water cause. One social-media method is a September 9 Thunderclap.

PICS: Interns' turn to make a difference in East Cleveland day of service

Post by Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.

Our work for clean water takes place in treatment plants, offices, along streams, and in the communities we serve.

Last week, 60 of our interns spent a day of service cleaning Forest Hills Park in East Cleveland with other local volunteers. It was one of a variety of experiences we offer students to bring them closer to the work we do and its impact on our neighborhoods.

Learn more about career opportunities at neorsd.org/careers 

FUN: @EPAWater plays Kardashians app, but here are 5 better water games you can play.

Of all the games a water-focused agency could play, it had to be this one?

EPA Water's Twitter account posted a status update July 22, saying the account holder had reached the C-List level of the Kardashian: Hollywood app. Chances are the user had mistakenly posted the update to the organization's account rather than his or her personal Twitter.

Hey, it happens, right?

While Kardashian: Hollywood or Candy Crush may be your mobile vices, we have five better suggestions for more water-friendly educational games and apps.

ENTERTAINMENT: #Watermen series will take reality TV to a new low, and it looks filthy.

Reality television is about to hit a new low: Sewers, and the team who keeps things flowing.

United Utilities—one of the UK's largest water and wastewater service providers—will star in a six-part documentary series called "Watermen: A dirty business" on BBC2 starting today.

CHILDREN: New Sesame Street muppet stands up for health, sanitation, education

Photo by John Barrett. Posted by Sesame Workshop 2014.

Sesame Street's newest muppet, Raya, is six years old. She's aqua green with sandals on her feet. She has a fantastic memory.

She also knows the health challenges children her age face in countries like Bangladesh, India and Nigeria.

In the Gates Foundation's efforts to "engage children with important messages surrounding proper latrine use and sanitation," Raya and Sesame Workshop are the latest foundation partners in education, according to USA Today.

As attention is turned to the clean-water and sanitation challenges of more than one billion people around the world, it is important to be creative in communicating these difficult realities. We believe this is a great idea, and it kicked off in a "Cleaner, Happier, Healthier" campaign starring Raya and Elmo.