Posted June 17, 2009 :: More than 4,000 people from 23 states have come to Blanchester, Ohio, to see the "world's largest horseshoe crab" according to roadsideamerica.com.

So why is it so strange to think people would want to tour a wastewater treatment plant?

"Sewers are not something people often think about," said Mardele Cohen, Public Relations Specialist for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. "We use them every day, but they're generally out-of-sight, out-of-mind. However, most of us have sewer bills, so tours and presentations like this can be a great way to learn about where their money goes, and where clean water comes from."

Hundreds of visitors from across Ohio and beyond tour the Sewer District's wastewater treatment plants each year. We are officially inviting the public to join us Saturday, September 12 for our second annual Open House, which will include tours of our treatment plant and laboratory in Cuyahoga Heights.

In 2008, almost 300 guests braved the rain to visit our Environmental & Maintenance Services Center and Southerly Wastewater Treatment Plant. More than 400 had originally signed up to attend.

"If the weather holds up, we're looking forward to an even larger crowd this year," Cohen said.

From 10 a.m.¿2 p.m., guests will be able to take a bus and walking tour of our treatment plant and laboratory where water-quality work is performed, enjoy kid-friendly activities related to science and clean water, and even see some of the heavy-duty vehicles our crews use for field work up close.

"Because it is so easy to overlook the importance of wastewater treatment, we want to make this event fun and educational. Hopefully, this kind of information will help people relate to our work, and maybe even understand the role they play in protecting water quality," Cohen added.

Space is limited, so we ask interested customers to RSVP online or by calling our RSVP Hotline (216) 432-7304. If you are unable to attend September 12 or have a large group you would like to tour our facilities, we would be happy to accommodate you. Please leave a message on our Hotline or visit http://neorsd.org/request

For more information about the event, contact Mardele Cohen at the Sewer District (216) 881-6600.