While Euclid Goes Green, the Administration Stays Gray

Last month Council narrowly passed the Administration’s sewer rate increases 5-4. The increases will show up on June water bills and are intended to:

- offset OM&R increases

- prop up the mandatory 60 day reserve fund the Administration depleted

- eliminate SSOs (Sanitary Sewer Overflows)

- recoup the 2mill levy dollars voters rejected in 2010 to fund Maintenance, Operations, Management (MOM) EPA requirements

- further fund the Peterson Sewer Line fund

- further fund the Waterline fund

- raise money for an as yet to be approved plan to eliminate CSOs (Combined Sewer Overflows)

- begin raising money for an as yet to be approved plan to increase the Wastewater Treatment Plant’s capacity and efficacy.

Green streets divert water out of sewers &
into the ground



Interestingly, the Administration had no provision for introducing green technology to divert water out of the sewer system. Wd 7 Councilman Daryl Langman has been researching cities around the country in the same EPA predicament as Euclid, which have incorporated a combination of gray and green technology. At his urging, Council introduced and passed a resolution “supporting the development of green solutions to the control of storm water and infiltration into the sanitary sewer collection system as an integral part of the overall wastewater improvement project and authorizing the Administration to develop requests for proposals for qualified firms to partner with the project engineers in the development of a comprehensive plan.”

Green technology covers so much that rather than explain it here, I recommend you read Councilman Langman’s Post Going Green: A Stormwater Alternative Plan.

My own research has uncovered a very comprehensive Milwaukee Plan - Fresh Coast: Green Solutions - a 28 page pamphlet that is successfully combining Gray & Green Technology. By combining the two technologies, cities are saving money in capital expenditures while at the same time diverting water out of the sewer system.

It’s been almost a month now and there is no word on the Administration’s progress in going out for ‘Green’ proposals to partner with its ‘Gray’ engineering firm CT Consultants.

Workshops invest people into
the Rain Barrel concept - Slow it down,
spread it out, soak it in!



Meanwhile, last Sat Apr 21^st saw the 4^th Annual Rain Barrel Sale on the south side of town at the Euclid Historical Museum. Despite the cold and overcast skies, between 50 and 60 people showed up between 9:30-10am to assemble their purchased rain barrels, learn about rain gardens and composting, join Friends of Euclid Creek and inquire into the Community Garden. 3 Councilpersons showed up – Council President Holzheimer-Gail, Wd 2 Councilwoman Scarniench and Wd 7 Councilman Langman. While they have shown up every year, to my knowledge not one member of the Administration has taken the time to even make an appearance. They don’t know what they’re missing.

There was a Worm Farm with instructions, a battery backup Solar Fountain that was cheerfully working throughout the overcast morning and container-grown lettuce. There were also copies of the City’s Rain Barrel, Compost Piles and Downspout Disconnect Legislation that Council passed in the last 4 years to bring the City into the 21^st century and up to speed with Green Thinking.

Now I'll bet you didn't know you could legally disconnect your downspouts. Not surprising, since the City is loathe to promote it. Chicago, Shaker Heights, even CMHA has all but mandated downspout disconnect in order to divert water out of their sewer systems and encourage an eco-friendly environment. Meanwhile, Euclid hides its legislation under a bushel.

Over the past 4 years, 287 people have either put together or purchased 215 barrels at the sale. The Euclid Rain Barrel Sale accounts for over 30% of all Rain Barrels we know of  that have been installed in the Euclid Creek Watershed’s 9 cities. Way to go Euclid! The folks out there get it. But that’s not surprising. The private sector usually drives the public sector. Just how long it will take for Euclid officials to find the gas pedal and actively promote Green Technology is anybody’s guess. If and when Council sees proposals for qualified firms to partner with the project engineers in the development of a comprehensive sewer plan, then I’ll know the Administration’s foot is at least on the pedal. But unless Council stays on top of the Administration, I’m not holding my breath.