November 28, 2008

GoErie.com

By PAUL VOJTEK
Contributing writer

Every business takes pains to demonstrate the uniqueness of its product. Attracting businesses to our region is no different.

With the recent announcement of the “Tap into Erie” initiative, the Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership is promoting the Erie region’s plentiful water and sewer capacity to businesses, real estate developers and site-selection consultants throughout the nation.

Pairing Erie’s water supply with the “Tap into Erie” slogan is a perfect way to highlight one of Erie’s most abundant resources — water.

This campaign was rolled out locally and also in Atlanta, a region that has suffered drought conditions from lack of rainfall and overdeveloped areas with finite water supplies. With Lake Erie as its source and a convenient location (within a 500-mile radius of more than 50 percent of the U.S. population and Canada), Erie stands poised to fill the void left by water shortages for water intensive businesses that cannot get enough of the Earth’s most precious natural resource.

Erie Water Works was one of five agencies to join with the Regional Chamber to investigate how to best market the region. Months of in-depth study, company interviews and market research were performed by McManis & Monsalve Associates. Along with the Mercyhurst College Intelligence Department, this team developed a “hit list” of industries and businesses to be targeted for recruitment by the Regional Chamber.

After a few review sessions, the group headed by Jake Rouch, economic development vice president at the Regional Chamber, decided to go full-steam ahead with the program. Bensur Creative Marketing Group, also of Erie, is working with the Regional Chamber to develop the marketing strategy that the Chamber first took to Atlanta in late October for an economic development summit and will shortly roll out to the rest of the country.

Erie’s ability to supply freshwater for nearly any interested business or industry didn’t happen overnight. For decades, the city of Erie operated the water system and it is widely believed that officials, over the years, were reluctant to increase water rates.

With the majority of the water system buried underground, an “out of sight-out of mind” mentality was generally applied and water rates were maintained at minimal levels. If moneys were available at year-end, it was common for these funds to be transferred into the general fund of the city with no consideration being given to the aging water-system infrastructure.

Erie was not alone in this mindset. Water systems across the nation are in various stages of disrepair. A recent study by the federal Environmental Protection Agency reports that water and sewer systems across the country need more than $500 billion in improvements to be brought up to an acceptable operating standard.

This is where the Erie Water Works system has a distinct advantage. A makeover of Erie’s water system took place, going from being barely able to meet its customer demand in the early 1990s to a system with more than 60 percent excess capacity.

While there is still work to be done, the Erie system is far ahead of the curve in this part of the country. In light of extensive system improvements, coupled with the loss of a few large industrial water users, the amount of water drawn from Lake Erie has been reduced by more than 50 percent. As a result, we can offer an economic development rate to new commercial customers to assist with new business startup costs and provide an added incentive for businesses to consider the Erie region.

Expanding the area where the economic development rate is offered would assist the “Tap Into Erie” program immensely. Erie Water Works recently expanded its service territory into McKean Township and will soon be adding service to McKean Borough.

Since assuming operation of the water system in 1992 from the city, Erie Water Works (the Erie City Water Authority) has pumped more than $130 million into the water-system infrastructure. A strategic replacement of miles of water mains, along with the cleaning and relining of inner-city water mains, eliminated significant water loss. Relining and repairing cracks in reservoirs and holding tanks further reduced lost water. This program continues today, and the percentage of water loss has gone from as much as 65 percent to a current level of about 20 percent, which is less than the national average.

The addition of four new above-ground storage tanks and the installation of control valves to fully utilize 15 million gallons of storage capacity at the Johnson Reservoir have resulted in the entire system being supplied by stored water, essentially eliminating intermittent interruptions of water service caused by main breaks or pump failures. The addition of standby power supplies at strategically located pumping stations further assures water availability to all areas of the system.

In 2007, a standby power generator was added to the Richard S. Wasielewski Water Treatment Plant, formerly the Sommerheim water treatment plant, in Millcreek Township to assure the production of a pure, reliable water supply under nearly any condition.

And now, in 2008, Erie Water Works is proceeding with a renovation of the treatment process at the Wasielewski plant, which will include the use of a state-of-the-art membrane filtration system.

All of these improvements have resulted in a water system that is efficient, reliable and capable of producing an excess capacity of nearly 45 million gallons of water per day. In addition, a new state-of-the-art Geographic Information System is in its final implementation stages and will soon be fully functional. This new GIS will aid in the strategic planning, hydraulic-system modeling, asset management and overall emergency response. These improvements have been completed while maintaining some of the most affordable water rates in the state.

As the region’s elected and appointed officials face making capital improvements to critical infrastructure, such as water and sewer, we encourage them to consider the success of the Erie Water Works model in which cost is managed over a bigger customer base. Erie Water Works is open to being a partner with other water systems.

The Erie Water Works staff is ready to roll out the “Tap into Erie” campaign with enthusiasm. Community leaders, Water Works board members and our customers continue to support our work and mission. Working together, we are all helping Erie Water Works continue to hydrate the Erie economy.

PAUL VOJTEK is chief executive of Erie Water Works.