STEM Spotlight: ALCOSAN’s open house showcases clean water efforts, STEM opportunities
A behind-the-scenes look at its clean water initiatives to engage the community and inspire future STEM professionals.
PITTSBURGH —
The 24th annual ALCOSAN Open House provides a behind-the-scenes look at its 80-year efforts to protect Allegheny County’s water and modernize stormwater systems.
“They’re realizing what actually goes on when we flush our toilets and everything downstream from the house,” said Daniel Sharek, ALCOSAN’s manager of capital projects and conveyance.
The event also focused on inspiring future STEM professionals through interactive experiences.
“The goal today is to see it, experience it, for our young people to experience it through play and really envision yourself here in the future,” said Kaylan Moore, a program administrator at ALCOSAN.
Work at ALCOSAN comes from diverse STEM backgrounds, with roles extending beyond calculations and data interpretation.
“What kept me in STEM was that creativity. But now it’s very much about people. And seeing how you can benefit the larger community with your career is something that’s very special, and we feel very blessed to be able to do it,” said Julia Spicher, manager of ALCOSAN’s regionalization program.
Children attending the event were invited to participate in activities like decorating their own rain gauges, which will help calibrate ALCOSAN’s rainfall network.
An emphasis on fun and the importance of clean water was seen across the demonstrations and educational booths.
Sharek added, “Take notice of the water you drink every day, the water you use every day, that you swim in. It’s really an important resource that we need to keep clean and protect.”
ALCOSAN’s Clean Water Plan will construct a modern tunnel system to reduce sewage overflow by seven billion gallons annually. The project is underway and expected to be completed by the end of 2036.