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The story: Sid Fredrickson, wastewater superintendent for the city of Coeur d'Alene, gives a tour of the wastewater treatment plant.
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This is the seventh installment of the Spokane River Dialogues, a yearlong tribute to people that are passionate about protecting the Spokane River for future generations. For this episode, we take a tour of the city of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho’s wastewater treatment plant. Before you all hit the back button, stick around and view the video. You will be surprised at what happens to the sewage that flows from our municipal drains. The city of Coeur d’Alene’s Wastewater Superintendent, Sid Fredrickson, a self-professed “head of the lumpy water department,” was my guide through the process of transforming raw sewage into treated water that is eventually released into the Spokane River.

This video is a couple of weeks late. As many of you know I was involved in a household accident in which a knife from a stuck kitchen drawer launched blade first into my right eye. I am doing fine now, but I don’t recommend anyone follow my path. The eye doc is optimistic that he will be able to correct my still blurry eyesight with a contact lens or glasses in a couple of months. The lucky part was that my shooting eye was not damaged. Thanks to all the Video Journal fans that called and emailed me as I was recovering. It meant a lot!