'Imagine a Day Without Water' to appreciate critical importance of clean water, wastewater management - NKyTribune

Sanitation District No. 1 (SD1) and the Northern Kentucky Water District (NKWD) joined over 1,000 organizations across the country for the 10th Annual Imagine a Day Without Water Campaign this week. The initiative highlights the critical importance of both clean water and effective wastewater and stormwater management, which together sustain the health and safety of our communities.

Residents of Northern Kentucky rely on these essential services for drinking, cooking, and sanitation. All of us should imagine life without them, emphasizing the need for continued investment in the infrastructure that makes these services possible.

“Water systems often go unnoticed, but their importance cannot be overstated,” said Adam Chaney, Executive Director of SD1. “A failure in these services can pose immediate risks to both public health and our environment.

“At SD1, we understand how vital wastewater and stormwater management is to our region’s health and safety. Every day, we manage and treat millions of gallons of wastewater, preventing harmful pollutants from entering our rivers and streams and safeguarding our community’s well-being.”

Untreated wastewater contains a range of pollutants, including human waste, food scraps and hazardous chemicals. Without proper treatment, these substances would flow directly into local waterways, creating serious environmental hazards and public health risks.

SD1’s wastewater treatment process effectively removes these pollutants, transforming wastewater into clean water that is safe to release into the Ohio River. This complex treatment process, which takes up to 30 hours, involves advanced biological and chemical methods to purify the water.

In addition to wastewater management, stormwater management is crucial in preventing flooding, erosion and water pollution. By controlling stormwater runoff, SD1 helps protect homes, businesses and natural ecosystems from significant damage.

SD1 will invest nearly a billion dollars over the next two decades to advance innovative solutions for wastewater and stormwater management. These efforts aim to protect local waterways, reduce flooding and ensure public health as Northern Kentucky continues to grow.

“The Clean H2O40 program is about more than just maintaining clean waterways—it’s about building long-term resilience for our community,” said Chaney. “This initiative reflects our commitment to managing wastewater and stormwater effectively today while preparing for future challenges.”

Northern Kentucky Water District President/CEO Lindsey Rechtin added “Our finished water is distributed throughout our system by approximately 1,330 miles of water main, which is equivalent to driving from New York City to Miami, Florida with about fifty miles to spare. Our infrastructure is critical in providing service to our customers and we are very intentional in our investments and not taking it for granted.”

Along with infrastructure, NKWD remains in compliance with all drinking water standards, ensuring that customers can count on a safe, clean and sufficient water supply. NKWD’s treatment process includes three phases: intake & pre-treatment, clarification & filtration, and advanced treatment and disinfection.

“We use a multi-barrier treatment approach for disinfection by using post-filtration granular activated carbon followed by ultraviolet light treatment,” noted Rechtin. “These advanced treatments are critical to meeting regulatory requirements and for addressing contaminant challenges in our source water.”

NKWD is the largest water district in Kentucky and is the Commonwealth’s third largest water provider.

“In 2023 alone, NKWD produced 9.74 billion gallons of water,” stated Rechtin. “Our team works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to make sure our community has water. We understand, and take seriously, the role we play in the health and safety of our community. Simply put, we all need water to survive.”        

SD1 and NKWD encourage everyone to think about their ‘drop in the bucket.’

Whether it’s learning more about how water reaches your home, supporting infrastructure projects, or simply appreciating the clean water you have, every small action makes a difference.

For more information on how to get involved, visit imagineadaywithoutwater.org and follow the conversation on social media using the hashtags #ImagineADayWithoutWater and #MyDropInTheBucket.

Sanitation District No. 1

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