Vermont Public Radio’s reporting on sewage spills and overflows in 2015 brought the scale of the issue into the public eye and led to legislation in early 2016 that calls for improved public notification of sewage spills.
VPR's web developer contributed to the reporting by creating a Python script that scrapes the state’s public database of sewage spills at regular intervals each day and Tweets any new entries at https://twitter.com/dirtywatervt. Using that tool, VPR reported a story that proved state officials were failing to follow state law requiring timely reporting, then denying their statutory obligation. That story is linked in the submission materials, but can also be found here: http://digital.vpr.net/post/state-delays-public-reporting-sewage-dump-claims-timeliness-not-required.
This body of work raised awareness in Vermont about failing public infrastructure, recurring threats to public health and the regulatory system that allowed millions of gallons of sewage to flow untreated into Vermont’s waters in 2015.
News Report, June 22, 2015: Sanctioned Pollution: Why Regulators Allow Sewage Dumps Into State Waters
News Report, July 17, 2015 Officials Struggle To Quell Vergennes Sewage Overflows
News Report, Sept. 1, 2015 Vermont's 'Crumbling' Underground Water Infrastructure Demands Expensive Repairs
News Report, Sept. 22, 2015 Lawmakers Seek Fixes For Sewage Overflow Problem
News Report, July 27, 2015 State Delays Public Reporting Of Sewage Dump, Claims Timeliness Not Required
Interview, August 20, 2015 Sewage Overflow In VT? We've Got A Bot For That
