Innovating with Earthworms

Hi! My name is Amelia Leach and I’m a rising senior sociology major. This Summer I have had the wonderful opportunity to intern at Perca. Perca is a wastewater treatment company that got started in Walla Walla just under 2 years ago. Their innovative, nature-based technology, vermifiltration, utilizes the decomposition capabilities of earthworms to break down the contaminants in effluent water using minimal energy. This new system is highly efficient and eco-friendly. Businesses and other facilities that produce wastewater all around the Walla Walla valley have invested in Perca units, which are quickly growing in popularity due to their efficacy and sustainability. As a sociology major, it’s been fascinating to learn about the science behind the operation, while mainly focusing on tasks more relevant to my role as a social science intern.

I’ve been working on a variety of projects this Summer. One of them is designing a survey that will capture the public’s perception of vermifiltration and green innovation, and how that would affect a business that may choose to implement a Perca system. Being able to combine what I’ve learned in my major with the research I’ve done this Summer and input from my supervisor and coworkers has been fun and rewarding. With all of the intricacies of survey design, and never really having done anything similar to this in topic or in scale before, it’s also presented challenges. But the consistent one on one support and mentorship I’ve received has been incredibly helpful in turning every challenge into a smooth learning process and growth experience. I’m really excited to see the progression and final product of this project.

Another project I’ve gotten to be a part of is related to social justice and environmental health and safety. We’ve been working with a community in Oregon whose wells have been contaminated with toxic chemicals and have not had access to clean drinking water for years. This environmental injustice has been going on for a long time, and a variety of people and organizations are trying to come up with solutions to the problem as well as advocate for the community. I’ve attended community meetings/listening sessions, talked to those affected, and done extensive research on the situation. Participating in meetings with Perca about how their services could potentially be a solution and how to make that possible has been incredibly educational and eye opening, and I’ll continue to learn more as it all unfolds. This is another project that I’m very invested in and glad to be a part of.

Getting to work alongside such caring and change driven people in a company that is so unique has been an amazing experience. I’m so grateful for this opportunity and for WIG for making it possible.