Daily, we engage in numerous activities related to water and wastewater with little thought. We wash, flush, and watch as rainwater disappears underground. But how often do we pause to acknowledge the dedicated workers and the engineering alchemy behind the systems that keep our communities and environment healthy? I produced Deep Listening To The System to shed light on King County’s Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD) and the remarkable individuals, let’s call them “Magicians,” who work tirelessly to manage our wastewater under all conditions.
Deep Listening To The System invited the public to take a deeper look, peek behind the curtain, and experience the wondrous world of wastewater treatment firsthand with special tours of the Brightwater Treatment Plant, one of the largest wastewater treatment facilities in the world, located north of Woodinville, WA.
After each tour, participants were led into a space outfitted with 20-foot-tall driftwood sculptures and custom-designed meditation cushions and supplies. There, they received a sound bath by Scott Francis of Mind Body Hum Studio. Scott and I thoughtfully composed these multi-layered auditory experiences to immerse participants in sounds evocative of water, forest, and sky. These sonic journeys provided a conduit for gratitude and introspection, enabling participants to reflect on the dedication and efforts of WTD personnel in support of King County’s lush natural environment.
To share the project’s message of gratitude with an even wider audience, I created a limited-edition, portable version of the project available on a faucet-shaped USB drive (available in my “shop”).
Deep listening to the System was commissioned by 4Culture and the King County Waste Water Treatment Division.
©SusanRobb2023
©DavidBenhaim2023