Priority 1: Communications
Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority (PWSA)
2022 Stormwater Strategic Plan (SWSP)
PWSA released a strategic plan in December of 2022. The public has until June 30, 2023, to comment on this document and submit those ideas/concerns/questions for official review. The Mon Water Project is going to step through each Priority and provide insight.
What the plan says:
PWSA is promising a new model of communication with its ratepayers and individuals in the city. They plan to do this by building a web of partnerships, via ambassadors, task force coalitions, and watershed organizations that focus on neighborhood/watershed/sewershed-level stormwater issues. With these groups in place, communication can pass upwards, from street level through these affiliated partner organizations/ambassadors to the City Wide Joint Task Force (priority 2). Similarly, this pipeline also allows educational messages and important information from the city agencies to flow down to community groups, for them to distribute and relay to individual neighborhoods.
“Informed citizens play an essential role in advocating and planning for equitable water infrastructure. If we work with community organizations, professionals, and agency staff, together we can develop an integrated system that protects water, people, and public green space. We need many voices to express how green infrastructure can benefit our families and communities.”
This communication style should be built on principles of inclusion and accessibility while being transparent at all levels of project plans, activities, and actions. This will help to explain the Stormwater Fee as well as manage expectations on the speed and capability of the next steps in planning and solutions.
“Rebuilding trust is possible through education and restorative justice—stakeholders must come together, identify the harm and repercussions, and take steps to repair trust.”
Plan action items to accomplish goals:
1A: Create formal (organized and sustainability-funded) watershed groups/task forces throughout each basin.
1B: Communicate with transparency
1C: Coordination with watershed groups/task forces. Communication that raises concerns to the Joint Task Force of city governmental agencies.
What I think:
The PWSA Stormwater Strategic Plan Priority 1 has made some initial progress, but it required repeated reminders from its existing partnership network to prioritize its own communication goals. It was only after receiving feedback from regional stormwater partners and resources for alternative outreach methods that the current structure for the inclusive Stormwater Community meetings (Spring 2023) began taking shape to allow public input and comments.
These initial meetings also highlight a challenge for PWSA in adhering to its own strategic plan language. It can be challenging for water management professionals and engineers to effectively communicate with the public, given the specialized lingo, expertise, and acronyms involved in water-related matters. The distinctions between owners, operators, municipalities, and governments, which are significant to professionals, hold little importance for the public. True and meaningful environmental education should start with the basics, teaching watershed science to our city. Understanding individual sewersheds and defining key terms is vital. Critical information must consistently prioritize these basics to bridge the educational divide effectively.
Education cannot thrive without trust, and PWSA seems to underestimate the extent of the distrust held by communities towards their agency. Additionally, while the plan emphasizes the importance of transparency and inclusivity in communication, it lacks sufficient details on how these principles will be put into practice. Simply acknowledging the importance of transparency without outlining concrete steps or mechanisms for public access to information raises doubts about the plan's commitment to openness and accountability.
Building trust is also crucial for successful partnerships. One significant concern is the reliance on a network of partnerships, including ambassadors, task force coalitions, and watershed organizations. Although these collaborations hold potential, it remains unclear how they will be organized, financially sustained, and held accountable for their actions. Without clear guidelines and oversight, there is a risk of these partnerships becoming fragmented or lacking the necessary resources to effectively address stormwater issues.
The challenges ahead are substantial, underscoring the importance of PWSA's decision to prioritize this as their number one goal. As a potential partner within the proposed outreach and education "communication structure," our organization looks forward to seeing well-funded and sustained watershed organizations and task force coalitions. It is concerning that PWSA may believe it does not play a role in funding or ensuring sustainability, but we hope for clarity as the process moves forward.
The Mon Water Project, along with other task force coalitions, is still in its early stages and requires more time and resources to advocate for solutions, particularly regarding community building around the 4 Mile Run and Monongahela sewersheds. Since the rest of the plan relies heavily on groups like ours, it is imperative that adequate support and resources are provided.
Furthermore, acknowledging structural racism and addressing disenfranchised areas within the city, as mentioned in the report, must be accompanied by tangible actions. Events should be specifically designed to be inclusive, inviting all communities to the table. PWSA must lead the way in raising regional environmental literacy by taking an active role in public outreach and collaborating with others to create a well-educated, science-literate, and mobilized general public.
In conclusion, while Priority 1 shows promise, its success hinges on it not being mere lip service. PWSA must truly live up to its commitments, expand on the outlined ideas and promises, and develop a comprehensive Public Engagement Plan. Achieving a genuinely transparent communication protocol takes time and consistency, and PWSA must proactively build relationships, rather than relying solely on partner organizations. Overcoming the deep-seated distrust and disapproval among average ratepayers requires consistent adherence to the priorities outlined in the plan. PWSA must find its own unique tone, voice, and methodology for effectively communicating with all members of the city.
Summary:
Given the specialized lingo, expertise, and acronyms involved in water-related matters, it can be challenging for water management professionals and engineers to effectively communicate with the public. Communication must be truly meaningful and focus on public engagement. This requires PWSA staff increases and expertise in environmental education, marketing, and outreach. This must be a financial investment by PWSA, not just a slight shift in the status quo.
PWSA must help to financially sustain its watershed and task force partners as they help develop and deploy communications to their communities. This is directly stated in the plan.
PWSA must live up to its plan language around Environmental Justice, which requires repairing and restoration of trust, transparent communication, relationship building, and true investment to be real and powerful.
