Summer 2023 - Flipbook - Page 23
Support from local water government agencies was crucial to the success of the festival. Both The Pittsburgh
Water and Sewer Authority and the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority were major supporters of the
festival, including offering volunteers and pro-bono contributions on the festival planning committee. Without
their involvement this event would not have been as impactful as both are the preeminent Pittsburgh
government leaders in clean water. The panel discussion at the end of the festival with Jennifer Kennedy
(ALCOSAN Director of Engineering), Will Pickering (CEO of PWSA) and James Miller (PA Department of
Environmental Protection) was an important discussion. We reflected the progress we have made but realize
we still have a way to go in ensuring clean water. It is recognized that we will need significant investment in
water infrastructure in the coming decades including ALCOSAN’s Clean Water Plan and PWSA’s Strategic
Plan for Stormwater and Wet Weather Plan. Educating the public on these challenges will need to be
continued and an on-going process.
To close out the festival Friends of the Riverfront had their bike parade from the festival grounds to the Point to
raise clean water awareness and the importance of Pittsburgh’s valuable riverfront trail system. The Carnegie
Science Center exhibitor tent also had a fun fish print to attach to the bikes. A very special thank you to Friends
of the Riverfront and Kelsey Ripper for their involvement from the beginning in organizing the festival and the
bike parade.
Overall, the positive response and attendance from the general public and our exhibitors was overwhelming.
Perhaps the most important takeaway from the festival is the level of participation from so many groups and
organizations. Many volunteered their time free of charge for making the festival possible. It demonstrates that
Pittsburgh has a strong and tight knit water community and we all have a hand in ensuring the future of clean
water in Pittsburgh.
Lastly a huge round of applause to our festival planning committee. The festival planning committee met on a
regular basis for several months tackling all the nitty gritty logistics that made the festival possible. Putting on
a public festival of this magnitude takes a massive effort behind the scenes. The planning committee did it all
including budgeting, corporate fundraising, program development, brand marketing, website development,
media promotion, creating site maps, recruiting festival artists and food trucks, and hour by hour festival
execution logistics. Hats off to the whole group!
Festival Planning Committee Members:
Jeff Argyros, ALCOSAN; Jason Baguet, Sci-Tek; Tom Batroney, HDR; Ana Bennett, The Pittsburgh Water and
Sewer Authority; Aaron Birdy, UpstreamPgh; Ben Briston, Gannett Fleming; Coreen Casadei, Collective Efforts;
Shirley Clark, Penn State Harrisburg; Darnetta Craig, Colliers Engineering & Design; Malu Devadasan, Wade Trim;
David Dzombak, Carnegie Mellon University; Jess Friss, Three Rivers Waterkeeper; Jake Gibas, AECOM; Ben
Grunauer, The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority; Alen Gusa, Sci-Tek; Hali Hetz, The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer
Authority; Justin Kerns, msconsultants; Tia Kirby, Wade Trim; Myrna Newman, Allegheny Cleanways; Kelsey Ripper,
Friends of the Riverfront; Danielle Rhea, Penn State Extension; Julia Saintz, Evoqua Water Technologies; Cesar Simon,
Cosmos Technologies; Shirley Tang, AES; Mary Wilson, Penn State Extension; Heather Hulton VanTassel, Three
Rivers Waterkeeper
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