The Alexandria Lake Area Sanitary District (ALASD), a regional sanitary sewer district, is working with Flaherty & Hood to create a public outreach campaign to educate customers about an ongoing MPCA water clean-up process that may impact the cost of wastewater treatment services and may not produce the state’s desired results.
Currently, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is developing a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) clean-up plan that will aim to reduce nutrients—particularly phosphorus—in Lake Winona. Lake Winona’s shallow waters, lack of submersed aquatic vegetation, and rough fish population contribute to less than ideal conditions that keep phosphorus-laden sediments suspended in the water.
To inform ALASD customers about the clean-up plan and possible outcomes, Flaherty & Hood attorney Steve Nyhus and senior media advisor Glen Fladeboe have partnered with ALASD staff to create a multi-pronged communications plan, which includes meeting with local media, distributing informational handouts, and hosting an open house to address customer concerns. Flaherty & Hood communications specialist Erin Flaherty also redesigned ALASD’s website at www.ALASDistrict.org in order to incorporate new messaging and improve the site’s usability. Already, ALASD is gaining positive press coverage and achieving improved customer relations.
