On October 28, 2021, the Communications and Outreach Committee held its annual communications camp, a one-day specialty conference focused on communications skills, in Springfield, Oregon. This year’s event was a big success, with 13 campers in attendance and a mix of virtual and in-person presenters. Proceeds from the camp help fund PNCWA’s Adopt-a-School grant program.

Comms camp presentations included these:

• Loralyn Spiro of Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission tested attendees on how well they knew water with an interactive quiz. We learned that a 10-minute shower uses a lot of water!
• Joe Harwood from the Eugene Water & Electric Board talked about creating an effective plan for crisis communications. When a snowstorm hits or a pipe breaks, you should have a plan ready to get information to your community quickly.
• Brian Murphy from Tetra Tech discussed the three E’s of communication: engagement, engagement, and engagement. Many people fear public speaking, but by considering the “Communication Triangle” of breath, posture, and voice, anyone can improve their audience engagement.
• Chris White, Shannon Huggins, and Karen DeBaker from Clean Water Services shared their experience in developing a form that gathers public communications information from project managers, allowing communications professionals to be integrated into projects early and effectively.
• Jesse Jones from the City of Springfield led a tour of the Mill Race Stormwater Facility, which transformed 100 acres of industrial land into a regional stormwater asset and public space.
• Katherine Benenati and Shelley Snow from the Oregon Department of Transportation explained the importance of using plain language, which can have literal life-and-death implications, and that clear and simple communication doesn’t mean “dumbing it down.”
• Joanne Lind and Siri Nelson from LOTT Clean Water Alliance discussed the tools for virtual outreach they developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a virtual tour of the LOTT treatment process, videos about clean water careers, and educational materials for parents and teachers to use at home. You can see some examples here.

Presentation materials are available for download here.