CLEVELAND — It’s not the most glamorous job, but it’s an essential one. Delilah Capeles works at the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District.
“If it comes up where I work then they are surprised and they do ask what I do and so, you know, I tell them a bit about it. First kind of expands a little bit of their knowledge of what could actually occur at a utility besides just, you know, thinking of sewers and toilets,” said Capeles.
She’s worked her way up in various positions for nearly 15 years.
Working on a sexy story. OK, not really. BUT - it is about service and sustainability! The @neorsd is about so much more than sewage and toilets. A recent donation from the utility is helping the homeless and the environment. @SpectrumNews1OH pic.twitter.com/piWwawdxJt
— Micaela Marshall (@MMarshallTV) March 5, 2021
“I do like what I do. Yes,” said Capeles.
Capeles doesn’t have a “dirty job” per se.
“Really challenging work and working with a lot of great people. So, it’s been a good experience,” said Capeles.
She just started a new role as a procurement specialist, but recently she managed contracts in the operations and maintenance department.
Capeles handled things like the every-three-year uniform contract that just expired.
“We had a number of pants that were leftover at the end of this uniform contract — about 1,500 — and we didn’t want to just dispose of them,” said Capeles.
Capeles considers the sewer district an environmental agency that prioritizes sustainability and community outreach.
“Always being on the lookout to recycle, repurpose, and save money,” said Capeles.
With that in mind, Capeles and a team of employees worked together to donate and deliver those 1,500 uniform pants to Cleveland-area homeless shelters including the City Mission, St. Herman’s House, and the Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry. Uniforms that otherwise, would have ended up in a landfill.
“Having a hand in this directly just has made me feel good,” said Capeles.
It's a win-win for the environment and those in need.