Sustainability program
Our vision is to be the environmental leader in enhancing quality of life in the region and protecting its water resources. Sustainability efforts bolster this vision by reminding us to consider the long-term impact of our decisions and leave things better than we find them.
Sustainability is also about conservation, efficiency, and seeking co-benefits. It provides a useful lens to look at a broader picture as we consider alternatives and make decisions. Finally, we are living in a changing world, and a sustainability mindset helps us to understand and plan for aging infrastructure, higher levels of impervious surfaces, water resource variability, and changing weather patterns.
In 2019, we defined what sustainability means for us as a Sewer District by creating sustainability principles. These principles capture our shared understanding, showcase areas of alignment, and explain how we at the District can make an impact:
- Make informed decisions that keep sustainability in mind.
- Be efficient and seek opportunities to reduce waste and energy usage.
- Seek co-benefits, collaborate, and plan for the long-term recognizing the impacts of climate change, changing rainfall patterns and aging infrastructure.
- Optimize the function and resiliency of the Regional Stormwater System by maintaining or improving water quality, mitigating the effects of flooding, and arresting stormwater-induced erosion.
- Promote diversity, inclusion, equity, innovation, and wellness both within District operations and the service area.
- Find opportunities to share our story and provide progress updates.
In 2021, we developed our first sustainability plan. This is meant to provide a strategic, informed, and unified approach to our sustainability efforts to ensure that all employees understand what sustainability is, why it is important, and what we are doing about it.
DOWNLOAD: Sustainability plan | Sustainability Policy for Information Technology | Vehicle Idling Policy
Our Journey Towards Sustainability highlights recent progress, and provides a baseline of greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, waste to landfill and other metrics. Our latest greenhouse gas inventory is available.