Strategic Messaging for More Effective Communications on Sanitary Sewer Overflows in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

The purpose of this presentation is to share a successful approach to developing Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) messaging materials to support the Anne Arundel County, Maryland Department of Public Works (DPW). The goal of the messaging is to educate and inform stakeholders and the public on the causes and scale of sewer spills, the County's infrastructure renewal investment to reduce SSOs, as well as the County's role and residents' role in mitigating the occurrences and risks of SSOs. Anne Arundel County, Maryland has a population of nearly 600,000, and is located on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. The County's DPW maintains more than 1,300 miles of sanitary sewer pipes and over 260 wastewater pump stations. As the County works to meet nutrient discharge reduction goals to comply with the Chesapeake Bay Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), DPW depends on strong public support to drive community-based nutrient reduction initiatives. Public perception of DPW's performance with SSOs is sometimes negative, which can hinder community support. To provide a baseline understanding of the County's experiences with SSOs, the County and HDR first analyzed the existing SSO messaging on the County website that is available to the public, as well as the historic County SSO data to determine the most common causes of SSOs and to characterize long-term trends. The previous SSO messaging was relatively vague and directed people to GIS data that described SSOs without sufficient context for typical residents to understand the environmental and public health impacts. Analysis of benchmarking data of comparable utilities allowed for an informed examination of where the County stands amongst its peers on SSO causes and frequency. DPW established a working group comprised of staff from Operations, Customer Support, Engineering, Executive Leadership, and a multi-disciplinary consultant team. To better understand the perspectives of the County's DPW staff, three collaborative workshops were conducted to create and develop the SSO messaging approach and materials. The first workshop reviewed public perception of SSOs as perceived by DPW staff and the current County response to SSOs to identify opportunities to increase knowledge and education through clear, concise SSO messaging. Breakout groups were used to foster a discussion of sewer spills from various points of view, which helped to define the communications challenges. Participants were given a scenario to react to that represented the various audiences the messaging is designed to reach (i.e., residents, the boating community, elected officials). The group was then asked to identify the main sentiment or concern of the stakeholder and an appropriate response. The outcome of the first workshop shaped and developed initial draft messaging ideas. The second workshop considered specific messaging strategies that would educate and share County prevention and response measures to align all parties with a sense of shared responsibility. The team used insight and feedback to develop materials explaining SSO causes, impacts, prevention, and mitigation strategies, including: Internal messaging document to educate and inform DPW staff on SSOs External Factsheet to educate and inform the public and various stakeholders on SSOs Media talking points to be used as prep information for senior DPW staff Customer service Q&A guide information provided to answer questions and concerns on SSOs Press release template template for DPW staff to use with SSO responses Blog post information to share and educate the public and stakeholders on SSOs Social media content information to share and educate the public and stakeholders on SSOs The third workshop provided an opportunity for DPW staff to perform a final review and comment on the draft materials before finalization. Combined, the information collected through workshops served as the basis for a data-driven communication approach to inform the County's SSO messaging. This approach fosters trust with the public by facilitating transparency through accurate, objective reporting that encourages meaningful dialogue around SSOs and their impact on Anne Arundel County and Chesapeake Bay. The SSO messaging materials are being used to increase public understanding of SSO causes, DPW's management of the sewer system, and DPW's responsiveness to SSOs. This content was designed to be shared through a variety of communication channels, including the County's websites, social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn), and directly to members of the media, and community-based organizations (such as Homeowners Associations and environmental advocacy groups). DPW has already begun using some of the messaging materials, which proved helpful in responding to inquiries regarding a spill event in a neighboring jurisdiction. Over the next several months, DPW will participate in a number of County outreach events where the updated messaging materials will be tested, and feedback will be collected. The multi-disciplinary, data-driven approach to SSO messaging could benefit many other wastewater utilities who seek to increase residents' awareness and knowledge about the shared responsibility of sewer collection system maintenance.