17414_Authority_April_2024

municipalauthorities.org | 13 Community Engagement and Celebrating Mother Earth By Susan Sampson, Communications Manager, Lehigh County Authority Observed annually on April 22 nd , Earth Day is a global event dedicated to environmental awareness and action. It is a day to remind people of the collective responsibility to protect Mother Earth and preserve our natural resources. It’s also a great day to share how your organization is doing its part to care for the environment. Lehigh County Authority (LCA) has supported the City of Allentown’s annual Earth Day in the Park event since it began in 2018. It is a terrific time to connect with the community and share the value of water, source water protection efforts, and provide information for water and wastewater customers. At the 2023 event, LCA employees shared the company mission, water conservation tips, and information about lead in drinking water. A display of different pipe types demonstrated how to test the pipe material. Handouts included the health effects of lead in drinking water and tips to control exposure to lead. Cards with a QR code encouraged customers to share the results of their pipe material test using the LCA online survey tool. The data from the survey helps LCA build its pipe inventory to meet Lead and Copper Rule improvements and regulatory requirements. The LCA team included two employees of high school student children who were earning community volunteer hours. The students shared a toilet IQ game and asked children to identify household items that did not belong in the toilet. A toilet seat attached to a tabletop basket made it fun for children to place items okay to flush. The items that were not okay to flush went in a separate basket. Children sorted items including baby and cleaning wipes, cotton balls and swabs, bandages, paper medical masks, latex gloves, small toys, sponges, toilet paper, stuffed poop emojis, and yellow letter Ps to represent human waste. The kids loved the reminder that “only the 3 Ps go in the potty” and the rhyme “no wipes in the pipes!” Many adults played along and needed a reminder about not flushing wipes of all types! LCA also taught about sneaky toilet leaks, the importance of regular toilet leak testing, and how simple and inexpensive it is to “flip your flapper.” Dye test tablets with instructions provided residents with a tool to conduct toilet leak tests at home. The event, organized by the City of Allentown and its Bureau of Recycling and Solid Waste, provides an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate Earth Day through music, food, games, crafts, and educational exhibits. Last year, 36 organizations participated, and the mayor and other elected officials were on hand. Based on the event’s success, a new location has been established for 2024 at a more expansive park in the city, allowing for even more vendors and public participation. Continued on page 53.