As the celebration of Pittsburgh’s bicentennial continues, we should take great pride in how far we have come over the course of many generations. We are fortunate to live in a region that is consistently ranked one of the most livable in America. Many deserve credit for that accomplishment. However, while we have made tremendous progress on many fronts, by one critical measure we continue to lag woefully behind.
Two hundred years after Pittsburgh’s incorporation, we continue to discharge billions of gallons of raw sewage into our region’s rivers and streams each and every year. Nine billion gallons — to be exact — of raw sewage released into the waterways we rely on for everything from our drinking water to critical commerce to recreation.
Our archaic wastewater infrastructure system is vastly insufficient in its ability to handle the volume of wastewater that empties, unabated, into the three rivers during times of peak flow. If you frequent the crown jewel of our region’s recreational assets, you know that after a significant rain event has moved through the area, the environmental quality of our rivers more closely resembles that of a Third World nation than one of America’s most livable cities.
For a region that long ago cleaned up its skies and reinvented itself, the fact that this issue continues to afflict us is a black eye. If we are to truly live up to the narrative of a new Pittsburgh, free from the environmental scars of the past, this issue must be addressed as quickly as possible.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has responded to local requests for additional time in order to develop a comprehensive plan designed to bring us into compliance with federal law. However, while much positive work has been done to date, we must not use the luxury of additional time as a reason to delay confronting the defining environmental challenge facing our region.
Under the proposal that is currently being negotiated, essential sewage treatment plant expansion can begin immediately along with green infrastructure and source reduction solutions to reduce discharges. But, let’s be clear, neither green nor gray solutions alone are the answer to solving this problem; both can and must be part of the solution. We should get to work now on a plan that includes broad-based solutions that get the job done in the most cost-effective and expeditious manner possible.
The legacy of the Allegheny Conference is built upon a strong foundation of bringing our region together to tackle the most daunting of challenges head on with will, hard work and perseverance. Today, the conference stands ready to once again lead us toward a better future.
For the sake of future generations, their quality of life and the public health of the entire region, let’s allow science and sound data to guide the path forward. The time has come for our generation to rise to the occasion.
Nick DeIuliis is president and CEO of Consol Energy Inc. He is a member of the executive committee of the board of directors of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and chairs the Infrastructure Committee, which oversees conference efforts related to wastewater infrastructure.
First Published: August 28, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
