Erie Ambassador Program: Session 5 – Power & Water

After being teased with a few days of almost-springlike weather, the snow found us again on the evening of the last Erie Ambassador Program session. When we climbed the steps to the Richard S. Wasielewski Water Treatment Plant, a few flakes of snow were falling from the twilight sky, and by the time we exited, a blanket of the white stuff had covered the ground. Some of us were okay with the extra snow, because although we had already earned the #1 spot among the snowiest cities in America, with Syracuse a close second, this little bit extra could keep us “on top.” It’s like we think we’re going to win a cash prize or something. Well, if they were giving a prize, it would be ours, because now we have nearly six inches on Syracuse. Let’s just say, they can have the honor next year, okay?

Penelec, A FirstEnergy Company

Before we learned about water, we listened to an interesting presentation on power from Penelec. You may know that Penelec is owned by FirstEnergy, and the Erie territory reports to the offices in Akron, OH. But, did you know that the electric company watches the skies as closely as your local weatherman? The company has a team of meteorologists in Akron watching for weather conditions that could affect the power you need to run your daily life. If a storm is coming, extra linemen are called in, and lots of overtime is paid out.

We’ve all had the experience of losing power, and we’ve all sat in the dark wondering when it would come back on, often impatiently. Did you know that during periods of power outages, the power won’t be restored until a series of protocols are followed and tests are conducted? The lines need to be checked, because imagine what would happen if someone threw the switch and a line was laying on the ground in someone’s front yard.

What’s on the horizon for the electric company? Smart meters for everyone within the next two years. Do you have one yet? A smart meter will allow your electric usage to be read remotely. No more meter readers walking through your yard. This, of course, will cut jobs, but it will also allow the electric company to turn power on or shut power off as needed and to regulate current flow during peak times.

Erie Water Works

Erie water service has come a long way since the typhoid epidemic of 1911, when water was drawn from Lake Erie, the same body of water that accepted the city’s raw sewage. The water that Erie drinks still comes from Lake Erie, but we now have a waste-water treatment plant to treat our sewage, and a large amount of Erie’s drinking water is now treated at the Richard S. Wasielewski Water Treatment Plant, the largest retrofitted membrane water treatment plant in the United States.

Formerly known as the Sommerheim Pumping Station, the Wasielewski plant was built in 1932 and underwent a renovation and new construction in 1952. The state-of-the-art station pulls 25-million gallons of water per day from Lake Erie, but the lake receives replenishment every day from streams that flow into it. We were told that even if no replenishment happened, it would take 18 years for the lake to drop one inch at our current usage.

And you know those annoying water bottles that some cities (San Francisco) want to ban? Well, at $1.50 per bottle, you could refill that bottle 2,500 times with tap water before it would equal the same investment.

Paul D. Vojtek, CEO and CFO of Erie Water Works, told us that Erie’s water is so clean, the company is thinking of going into the water-bottle business. It just needs one additional filtration step to be able to do so.

Vojtek stated that Erie is fortunate, because it has an ample supply of water and does not need to conserve it as much as some other communities. That doesn’t mean we should waste it, but as he says, “If you take your water for granted, that means we’re doing our job.”

Ann Silverthorn (Twitter: @annsilverthorn)  is a versatile blogger who’s written about a wide variety of topics in a vast number of genres. She’s a proven writer on technology topics, in addition to travel, creative, and grant writing. Ann is currently working on a biography on the life of William E. Dimorier (1871-1951), the nearly forgotten poet and assistant principal of Academy High School in Erie, PA, who dedicated his life to the betterment of young people. Dimorier’s story will demonstrate how this man of humble beginnings positively influenced many lives around the world.