September 11, 2015 – More than 40 exhibitors will be on hand at ALCOSAN’s Open House on September 19 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. This annual event, which attracts thousands rain or shine, is the region’s largest watershed and environmental festival, and is free to all.
“We have exhibitors from A – ALCOSAN’s Mad Scientist, Allegheny Cleanways, and our animal protection agencies (Animal Rescue League, Animal Friends, Western PA Humane Society) – to Z – ZeroFossil – and everything in between. Our guests can Ask the Plumber for advice, fish out trash from the stream at the Fishing Pond (and learn how it got there), visit the Climate Playground, Get Soaked, and play Envirobowl, the game that’s flush with excitement,” said Jeanne Clark, Public Information Officer. “Kids can visit the Future Plumbers’ Waterworks and get wet in the process, make energy from a bike, earn extra credit, and even meet some very slimy and scaly visitors, up close and personal. Adults can learn what they can do to keep our water clean, find out what watershed group is in their area, listen to the oldies, and learn all about recycling. And everyone can take a tour of the wastewater treatment plant and the lab, see an aquarium filled with fish caught near our outflow in the Ohio River, take a selfie with Frankie the Fish, have lunch, and make a ‘direct deposit’ before they leave.
“Of course, everyone who comes to our Open House will be part of our victory over Cleveland,” continued Clark. “The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District – based in Cleveland – has challenged us in a competition to have the most guests and the most tweets on September 19, when both wastewater treatment plants hold their Open House events. We need the Black and Gold nation to help us overwhelm Cleveland by coming to the Open House and tweeting about it. This will be a great event – with many new exhibitors and features, and we intend to bring the sewer trophy home to Pittsburgh, where it belongs!”
Because of the larger crowd expected, guests can save time by pre-registering online at www.alcosan.org. ALCOSAN will run a free shuttle from the North Shore T station for those traveling by public transit, and free parking at the plant for anyone driving. There will also be ample secure parking for those arriving by bike.
“Follow your flush to Frankie the Fish and the ALCOSAN Open House on Saturday, September 19, and beat Cleveland, too,” said Clark. “Remember, when ya gotta go, ya gotta GO Pittsburgh!
ALCOSAN is one of the region’s premier environmental and public health organizations, treating wastewater for 83 Allegheny County communities, including the City of Pittsburgh. The authority enhances the community’s quality of life and safety by working to protect drinking water, rivers, and streams, and making the Pittsburgh region a great place to live, work, and play. ALCOSAN’s 59-acre treatment plant processes up to 250 million gallons of wastewater daily, and is one of the largest such facilities in the Ohio River Valley.