Seize opportunities at this critical juncture for PWSA

Pittsburgh is not the only U.S. city facing significant challenges with managing and renewing its drinking water, stormwater and wastewater management infrastructure, but we are facing a group of long-developing challenges that have moved to a criticalstage at the same time.

This has yielded consensus about the need for action and presents an opportunity to move in bold new directions. The recent report from the Infrastructure Management Group presents some such options (Nov. 27, “Consultant Urges Shift in Oversight of PWSA”). The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority blue-ribbon panel, the PWSA board, Mayor Bill Peduto and Pittsburgh City Council should take advantage of the rare alignment of interests to establish a structure that will lead us to a modern water infrastructure that will not only protect public health and the environment but alsobe a source of civic pride.

An important opportunity for a new approach is to divide the drinking water and stormwater/wastewater management operations into separate entities. The engineering and science, regulatory and financial challenges in each of these realms are quite different.

Another opportunity is to incorporate in our new organization(s) some level of in-house research and development capacity. This would enable independent, applied research on problems specific to Pittsburgh. Further, it would connect the organization(s) to R&D expertise at other utilities around the U.S., with national water research funding organizations such as the Water Research Foundation and with water research expertiseat universities.

We must seize the opportunity before us to build a strong, innovative new structure to help Pittsburgh create a 21stcentury water infrastructure. DAVID A. DZOMBAK Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Carnegie Mellon University

Oakland does not shoot at fishing vessels, doesnot poison the crops of Palestinian farmers, does not deprive the Palestinian people of adequate supplies of potable drinkingwater and electricity, does not arrest Palestinian children, does not allow Jewish settlers/squatters to burn down the olive trees ofthe Palestinians, does not allow these zealots to occupy Muslim mosques and does not allow racist extremists to harass Palestinian children walking to and from school.

Israel’s plan is clear: It is trying to annex — illegally — all of Palestine, and in order to effect that illegal annexation, it is doing everything it can to make the lives of as many Palestinians as miserable as possible.

End the occupation. Free Palestine. VINCENT CICCONE Bellevue

My friends and I are grateful for Julian Routh’s Nov. 25 story, “The Gift of Giving: Volunteers Choose Packing Meals Over Hunting Deals on Black Friday.” He covered beautifully the gathering of 3,000 people of diverse ages from throughout the Pittsburgh region at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center last Friday morning to pack 1 million meals for hungry individuals and families.

What a way to extend the thankfulness and joy of Thanksgiving. But he missed the first half of the story. Before we broke into groups to work on the meals, we worshipped God — 3,000 Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox and Jewish people, young and old, gathered together to praise God. We heard beautiful music from

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choirs and soloists. We were encouraged by testimonies from men and women whom God had delivered from addiction to alcohol and homelessness. We were uplifted by an example of racial reconciliation. We prayed and showed love and gratitude to God andto one another.

When that portion was ended, we said “Amen” and moved to the first level where we packed the food. Our event was called Amen to Action and was hosted by Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh Bishop David Zubik and Christianleader Reid Carpenter. It was a culmination of meetings throughout the year of Christian leaders who gathered under the title of the Reunion. We hope to reunite in heaven someday so we decided to become close friends hereon Earth in Pittsburgh as we prayand work together.

Amen to Action. If we plan this again next year the day after Thanksgiving, please join us. It was an amazing opportunity to see love in action! NANCY LEE COCHRAN

Downtown