WEF Highlights

United Utilities (Warrington, England) produced a music video called “Can’t Flush This.” The parody of M.C. Hammer’s 1990 hit “Can’t Touch This,” communicates the negative consequences of flushing items not intended to go down the toilet. In the video, “MC Plumber” and his two assistants rap in a bathroom and breakdance outside while conveying the […]

The Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) joined seven other water sector organizations to release the effective utility management (EUM) report, Taking the Next Step: Findings of the Effective Utility Management Review Steering Group. WEF, the American Public Works Association (APWA; Washington, D.C.), the American Water Works Association (Denver), the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies […]

Alexandria Renew Enterprises connects the community to water In Alexandria, Va., wastewater treatment services are taking the spotlight. A new multipurpose athletic field sitting over a nutrient management facility and an environmental center will connect the community to the often invisible but vital public service of transforming water. “A new series of projects is enabling […]

In 2014, the King County Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) launched its Flushing Awesome campaign to raise awareness and deter people in Washington State from flushing nondisperable products such as wipes, tampons, condoms, hair, dental floss, and grease. The campaign featured two cartoon musical videos — a parody on artists Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” […]

SanTan Brewing participates in Tap to Top outreach campaign The next time Phoenix-area residents reach for a SanTan Brewing Co. (Phoenix) beer, they might be reminded about the importance of having a reliable source of clean water. SanTan has partnered with Crescent Crown Distributing (Mesa, Ariz.) and the National Forest Foundation (Missoula, Mont.) to launch […]

Last year, the Maine Water Environment Association (Augusta), in a joint effort with the Portland (Maine) Water District and the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry (Cary, N.C.), created two humorous videos depicting a wacky, mock game show called “What the Flush?!?” to call attention to what should and shouldn’t be flushed down toilets. The […]

Steve Anderson, a water resources analyst with Clean Water Services (Hillsboro, Ore.), wrote and recorded a lighthearted song called “Don’t Flush the Baby (Wipes!)” The song conveys the importance of not flushing baby wipes, cleaning pads, and paper towels. Although not part of a Clean Water Services’ outreach campaign, Anderson has produced a number of songs […]

In September, the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) Collection Systems Committee released a fact sheet on reducing private property infiltration and inflow (PPII). Infiltration and inflow of stormwater and groundwater into sanitary sewers can overwhelm the sewers’ capacity and cause overflows. Sewer laterals, which connect buildings on private property to sewer mains, can be […]