Internship Abstract

Title: Develop Middlesex County Water Resources Association Annual Report Poster

Name: Yue Sun

Preceptors: Mirah Becker, PP, Director of Comprehensive Planning

Agency: Middlesex County Office of Planning

Purpose: To develop public outreach material for the Middlesex County Water Resources Association

Significance: Public information and outreach is a vital component of a successful county initiative.

Public education outreach gaps were identified. A report was written for the Water Resources Association

(WRA) that highlighted its accomplishments, including maps and concise descriptions of projects in a

poster form to inform the public of this important resource. The WRA provides critical input into the

future sewer lines for proposed development projects and oversees the development of a plan that ensured

there is enough capacity at our treatment plants. However, none of this good work has been turned into

public outreach materials, so that county residents can learn about this productive and important voice.

This is the first time Middlesex County has a poster that shows the public what the WRA has done in the

past 12 months to improve water quality. This will be mailed out to the resident of Middlesex County and

put on the County website and serve as a model for the materials that are created in the future.

Method/Approach: A creative method for sharing the report was conceived. The process of creating the

report is separated into two parts. The first part was creating a document that based on research on

wastewater treatment, collecting project related photographs, summarizing and analyzing the previous

meeting minutes. This document paints a picture of the accomplishments of this organization over a 12-

month period. The second part was to put the document that was created onto an 11 by 17 size paper and

make an infographic. By using colors and graphics to design the layout and make it readable to the public,

the infographic makes it easier for people to understand something that is highly technical to them and

turns it into a readable and a user friendly poster that is attractive for people to read.

Outcomes: After receiving some suggestions from the staff, several amendments have been made to

create a well-laid out and beautiful designed poster.

Evaluation: Before the poster is formally published, some staff members in Middlesex County have seen

the poster and given some feedback on the poster. First, this poster is clear and concise, with

interpretations for most of the terminologies, breaking professional knowledge into something easy to

understand, so that it encourages the public to read it like a book more than a report. The poster’s design

is attractive and the way it uses color and pictures to enhance the story was appreciated by the users. The

County is happy with the product and will expand the use of posters to other topics to help the public

better appreciate their government. The County is asking if Office of Planning can do this Poster every

year in the future, and not only in wastewater management but for other major initiatives that the County

is involved with.