VIDEO: This guy kayaks into a DC sewer tunnel. It's educational, but don't try it at home.

This 8-minute video by EarthEcho International—featuring underground construction and a kayaking expedition into the bowels of a combined sewer—highlights the water-quality challenges of Washington, DC and what DC Water is doing about it.

Why is it relevant to Cleveland? It’s a tale that reflects the same obstacles and solutions we face in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio:

• Lots of impervious surface.
• Combined sewers that discharge billions of gallons of waste into our environment every year.
• Extensive tunnel projects to prevent those overflows.
• Opportunities for green infrastructure as smart stormwater solutions.

Could be a good resource for educators or community groups. But we don’t advise kayaking into combined sewer outfalls, so keep that in mind.