Lisa Francisco reflects on a 33-year career journey and the leadership role she embraced — If you want it, go for it. That’s the mindset that championed Lisa Francisco through a successful 33-year career at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Lisa retired from her role as Manager of Facility and Administrative Support just last month where she managed building operations. Her three-decade journey began…

Can artificial intelligence and human experience join forces in the future of utilities? — I could have prompted an AI to write this story. Maybe I did. With the right algorithm, requirements, and patterns, any number of artificial intelligence-powered copywriting tools could spit out a story about the future of AI in the world of wastewater treatment. But what would be lacking in that…

Working in it is one thing. Working for it is another. — Our services, our projects, and our people affect the lives of more than 1 million northeast Ohioans every single day. They deserve our best work and smart spending, as well as an informed understanding of their unique life experiences and the varied neighborhoods they call home. This is the foundation…

Yes, we did a lot in 2022. But what you did? That’s really worth remembering. — It’s that end-of-year time for a top 10 list. But I need to admit something: You don’t care about our accomplishments. You really don’t. You care about yours. So instead, here’s YOUR top 10 list for 2022. 10. That challenge you overcame. You’re stronger for it. …

Sewer workers move from the shadows to the spotlight in new reality series and New Year’s Day can’t get here soon enough. — An unseen world and the laborers who work it deep under Cleveland will get their days in the sun in a brand new reality series coming to Discovery January 1. “Sewer Divers” will feature sewer maintenance crews and their experiences from across the country — including a crew of our…

His name is Vince. He’s maintained a treatment plant for 20 years. He took us on a guided tour like no other. And we took a camera. — “Any tunnel in this place, behind a wall could be a hundred million gallons of water.” Vince Vetrano narrated our journey like a Netflix documentary as he walked four steps ahead of us through the dark cavernous tunnels deep under one of the largest treatment plants in the country.

How relationships have protected our waterways, helped residents, and strengthened our region — Whether working regionally or locally, protecting water quality is a community benefit we can all support. Our work as a regional district has relied on collaboration and cooperation with member communities, partners, and customers to achieve our mission for 50 years — the last 10 of which have seen a…

Managing a 476-mile regional stormwater network while understanding our environment’s past, present, and future — We’ve never been “just a sewer utility.” The Court Entry that created us in 1972 authorized us to plan, maintain, construct, finance and operate both the regional sanitary sewer and stormwater systems. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 6119, which governs the District, also authorizes projects such as stream and river bank…

How our latest tunnel project is an anniversary-year story of team strength, soft ground, and public service. — A sunny May morning made for a wonderful start to Infrastructure Week, celebrated with a visit to our Shoreline Storage Tunnel on Cleveland’s east side. Large Tunnel Construction Manager Robert Auber led a tour at the main mining site of our first-ever “soft-ground” tunnel project. The Shoreline Storage Tunnel will…